


Best Laid Plans

by HigherMagic



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alpha Glenn Rhee, Alpha Rick Grimes, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - No Zombie Apocalypse, Alternate Universe - No Zombies, Bottom Daryl Dixon, Breeding, Custody Arrangements, First Time, Frottage, Knotting, Loss of Virginity, M/M, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mpreg, Omega Daryl Dixon, Past Lori Grimes/Rick Grimes, Past Relationship(s), Rickyl Writers' Group, Top Rick Grimes, Virginity Kink
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-10
Updated: 2017-10-24
Packaged: 2019-01-15 12:19:52
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 40,439
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12320964
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HigherMagic/pseuds/HigherMagic
Summary: Daryl is done with dating, with Alphas, with the whole 'mates forever' b.s. He just wants a kid, no baggage or emotional investment required. When he meets Rick Grimes, a loner cop who seems to be just as uninterested in a relationship as he is, it seems like a perfect fit. Get the pretty Alpha, have a baby, and good riddance to everything else. What could possibly go wrong?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I was suuuuuuuuuuuuuuper bored at work and I wrote the first 4500 words of this, and then came home and finished the first chapter. I can't possibly imagine it'll be more than five chapters long but you know me, right? Can't resist a good ABO fic.
> 
> This fic is basically "it started out as sex but now I like you and crap" trope with a hearty sprinkling of breeding!kink. And awesome!Glenn, of course. I hope you guys like it!

Daryl slammed his door shut violently, growling low in his throat. He shed his jacket and rubbed his hands through his hair and shoved his boots off his feet. He felt gross and dirty, the touch of his Alpha – now _ex_ -Alpha, thank you very much – burned his nape and made him feel like he needed a shower desperately.

Glenn was in the apartment, his roommate visibly startled as Daryl came in so suddenly and angrily. He was reading a graphic novel, in sweats and an old t-shirt, his bare feet propped up on the coffee table. "You alright?" he asked, standing and setting his book down. Daryl glared at him and stalked into the kitchen, grabbing a beer.

"I'm done," Daryl hissed. He took out his keys so he could use the bottle opener there and popped the cap off, drinking down half the bottle in one go. "I'm done with all of it. With Alphas, with dating. Fuck 'em all."

Glenn offered a weak smile. "You wanna talk about it?" he asked.

Truthfully, Daryl didn't. He huffed out another breath and tried to calm down. He had been dating this Alpha for almost a year. Other couples would have been mated and with a baby on the way at that point. Or at least living together, probably. Or…

He grimaced and took another pull from his beer. "He wanted to have sex, to mate," he said. "I didn't. Kind of fell apart from there."

Glenn let out a sympathetic sound, and reached out to squeeze Daryl's shoulder. It wasn't that Daryl didn't like sex, or want it – he just hadn't found an Alpha he was willing to do that with yet. Daryl wanted _kids_ , a mate, a _home_ , and to him that meant he wasn't just going to go into Heat and spread his legs for any Alpha willing to give him the time of day. Maybe it was pride, maybe it was fear, but Daryl hated the idea of potentially sleeping with someone, mating with someone, and have it all fall apart years down the road when there was nothing he could do about it.

"He didn't hurt you, did he?" Glenn asked, his eyes flickering red.

Daryl smirked. "I can kick way more ass than you can," he replied, and Glenn grinned. Even though Glenn was an Alpha, he was skinny and wiry. He had run track in college and worked as a pizza delivery guy, so he was constantly on the move and on his feet. As a result, he lacked the muscle most Alphas had, and he was comparatively weak.

Daryl, on the other hand, had deliberately made it so that he was big and strong. His home life had forced that on him.  Most people took him for an Alpha on first glance, only realizing when they got closer that he was an Omega. He had big shoulders and strong arms from hunting when he was younger, and he tried to make a habit of going hunting or exercising whenever he could so he maintained that strength.

He would _not_ let an Alpha overpower him. Not anymore.

Glenn let out a sympathetic sound again as Daryl finished his beer and reached for another. "I'm sorry he didn't work out," he said.

Daryl sighed. "Been thinkin' about it," he said, and shook his head. "Maybe I should just find a sperm donor or somethin'. No relationships, no Alphas. Just…me and a kid. That's all I want. I just want a kid."

Glenn cocked his head to one side. "I don't think that's such a crazy idea," he said with a shrug. "I mean, I'm pretty sure some sperm banks give you a description of the donor, so you can see what kind of look you want. And then bam – you just show up and they…do whatever it is they do to you."

Daryl's mouth twisted. "I can't afford that I.V.F. shit," he said, sighing.

"Well, if they have contact information, you might be able to reach out directly." Glenn shrugged again. "It's worth a shot."

"It's not weird?" Daryl asked, shifting his weight. "I feel like it's weird."

"Look, there's no harm in looking," Glenn said with a smile. "You already know Alphas like this aren't interested in actually being in the family, so you don't gotta worry about that. And if you find one you like the look of, it's simple enough to go from there. And if you're still not sure, I can meet 'em too, get a feel for 'em, Alpha to Alpha. If they don't ping for both of us, then you don't have to follow through."

Daryl looked at Glenn and let out a playful, wistful sigh. "Why couldn't you be attracted to Omegas?" he asked with a shake of his head.

Glenn rolled his eyes and left the kitchen to grab his book. "You wanna do this now, or get a little more drunk first?"

Daryl eyed his beer. It was almost empty. "Gimme like half an hour," he said.

Glenn grinned at him. "Sure thing, lover boy."

 

 

"Too old."

"No."

"I mean…he was probably hot at some point but…"

Glenn sighed and clicked to the next picture. Their real names weren't listed, but there was a photograph of them, their age, any known health and family history, as well as the last time they donated and with how much frequency.

"God, no," Daryl said, grimacing. This next one had donated more than a hundred times in the last three months. "He's probably some kind of addict. Next."

When the next one's picture loaded, Daryl's breath left him in an audible gasp like he'd been punched. The Alpha was…well, shit, there was no other word except gorgeous that came to mind. He was young, he'd been just under twenty when he'd donated, and had only gone the one time. So he probably had needed a little extra cash at the time and then never done it again – at least not with this agency.

"Wow, he's pretty," Daryl said, licking his lips. His eyes were crystal blue, he had a strong jaw and a nice mouth. His hair was a dark brown and thick, cut short in something vaguely military-looking. Daryl wondered if he was a soldier, or a lawman.

Glenn hummed. "No family history listed, but there is an email address if we pay for it."

Daryl frowned. "That seems…sketchy."

Glenn shrugged. "I feel like it's on the same level when you Google someone's phone number and have to pay to see whose it is, you know? But if don't wanna do it, you don't have to. We can look for someone who isn't privately listed."

Daryl bit his lower lip. He _really_ liked the look of this Alpha. "But Glenn, he's so _pretty_ ," he whined, his voice coming out petulant and childish.

Glenn smirked. "Do you wanna pay for his info or not?"

Daryl growled softly, pressing his lips together. He was _sure_ there would be other Alphas that he could find with more readily available information, but this one struck him unlike any of the other Alphas Daryl had dated, or entertained the idea of being with. And Daryl knew, objectively, it was all from a picture that was at least a decade old and based purely off of physical traits, but his dick didn't seem to give a shit about objectivity.

Glenn huffed a laugh, before he stood up. "Don't matter," he said. "I actually know this guy."

Daryl blinked at him. "You _do_?" he asked. "Why the shit didn't you just say so?"

"'Cause this is my cut of the reward; makin' you suffer." Daryl glared at him, but it wasn't heated. "Anyway, I deliver to the police station sometimes and I've seen him there before. Guy's a cop, a detective I think. He's nice. Tips well."

"The police station?" So close…and definitely a cop. Daryl wasn't sure where the line fell on what he wanted, then – he wasn't going to pay for sex, of course not, but it was a _little_ shady just asking someone to get him pregnant and then fuck off, happily ever after. Then again, it wasn't a _legal_ issue.

It was just that Daryl really hadn't had good experiences with cops before. But Glenn could vouch for him, at least on the surface.

"Do you know his name?" Daryl asked weakly.

Glenn shook his head. "Never asked, never looked. Heard people callin' him 'Grimes' but I think that's either a nickname or his last name." He thought about it for a second. "I hope it's a nickname, anyway. That's not something you wanna scream in bed."

" _God_ , I hate you," Daryl muttered. "Alright, so we know where he is. I guess now we gotta figure out if he's married, if he's even _attracted_ to Omegas…. How to contact him?"

"You sure you don't wanna look through the other options first?" Glenn asked, but he wasn't saying it to discourage Daryl. He just wanted Daryl to be sure.

Daryl nodded, biting his lower lip. "Yeah. I _really_ wanna meet this guy." He turned to look back at the picture on the screen.

Glenn smiled. "Alright. I'll see if I can case him out and figure out how to do this, or at least get a contact number for him so we can get him on the phone. Anything I should ask or look out for that you wanna know before even meeting him?"

Daryl shrugged. "I guess the normal shit. Is he mated, or married, does he have any kids…. Would he be willing to step back once it's done or if he'd insist on being part of the kid's life? I don't know if that's a deal breaker for me or not, yet, but I need to know that, at least."

"Alright, sounds simple enough," Glenn said with a nod, grinning. "Operation 'Knock Daryl Up' Phase One is a go!"

"…You are _not_ calling it that."

"I think I just did. You're welcome."

 

 

Daryl couldn't ever remember being this nervous. After about a week of radio silence, Glenn had texted him to let him know he'd gotten a delivery to the police station and would be headed there that evening. Daryl forced himself not to pace his living room and not to drink himself into a stupor that would calm his nerves.

There were no real consequences for him at this stage. If the cop guy wasn't interested, then there was no harm and no embarrassment on his side, and he and Glenn could move on to Daryl's second choice. As soon as Daryl made that second choice. And if he _was_ interested…

Daryl swallowed hard and rubbed his hand across his nape. He kind of wished he had gone with Glenn one of the times Glenn had scoped out the police station in the last week. He wanted to know more about the Alpha than what his face looked like ten years ago.

Was he tall? He needed to be tall, at least as tall as Daryl. Not too built, not too muscular.

Did his features still look the same, or did he break his nose and it never healed right? Did he have tattoos? Did he prefer the sun or the shade when he ate outside? Had he gone to college, or just the police academy? Did he always want to be a cop?

Which were all stupid questions. They didn't matter. It didn't matter what this Alpha's goals and dreams for the future were. Either he'd be willing to knock up a stranger or he wouldn't, and that would be the end of it.

His head snapped up when he heard the keys jingling in the lock and Glenn entered, smiling widely as he set a few bags of Chinese take-out on the counter. Working at a pizzeria, Glenn had to be bribed significantly to bring pizza home. He had eaten so much of it that he often wanted nothing to do with it after working all day.

"Well?" he demanded, practically vibrating with anticipation.

Glenn grinned at him. "I got your favorite," he said, holding up a bag. "Crab Rangoons and pineapple fried rice with pork."

"Not the _food_ ," Daryl demanded, although he was secretly grateful that Glenn always got him his favorite. Glenn was a good pack Alpha like that, and one to whose pack Daryl would willingly belong. Sometimes packs could form in a close group of friends, without any sexual relationships between the members, but they were hard to sustain once those involved found mates. Glenn's mate was a woman, and so didn't fall prey to the instinctive drives of Alphas and Omegas, but still, Daryl knew better than to assume Glenn would stay as his roommate forever.

It was one of the reasons he wanted a baby so badly – one of the ones he didn't look at too closely or too often. He knew Glenn was going to leave, and without a mate Daryl would be left all alone. He had friends and he loved them, but it wasn't the same as a pack or a mate, or a _baby_. He had always wanted kids, as soon as he was old enough to realize he could have them, and he wasn't getting any younger _or_ any closer to the happy nuclear family 50's America loved so much.

"What happened with the…. Did you talk to him?"

Glenn bit his lip and nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah, I did."

" _And_?"

"Well, his name is Rick Grimes. He's single, and he's interested in meeting you."

Daryl blinked at him. "That's…it?" he asked.

Glenn looked up. "Should I have found out more?"

And should he have? Daryl didn't need to know more about this guy – this _Rick Grimes_ – to meet him at least. He swallowed and tried to shake back the disappointment that Glenn had gotten so little information. "What kinda vibe do you get from 'im?" he asked, pulling out his back of Rangoons and taking a bite of one.

Glenn shrugged and opened his box of rice, letting it steam and cool as he took out his takeaway container of sweet and sour pork and stirred it around with a plastic fork. "He seems nice enough. He was kinda surprised when I told him about you. He smells good."

Daryl sent him a look and Glenn shrugged. "What? He does."

"Does he look like his picture?"

"Yeah. Got some more scruff on him and his hair's longer. He's not as big as you."

Daryl raised an eyebrow and took another bite of Rangoon. "How do you mean?" he asked, wiping at his mouth.

"He's skinnier. He's about as tall as you, I think, but less muscle."

"That's fine," Daryl said. "He doesn't have to check all my 'attraction' boxes for me to fuck him."

Glenn smirked into his food. "But you _are_ attracted to him, aren't ya?"

"I dare anyone who likes Alphas _not_ to be," Daryl replied with a roll of his eyes. Then he bit his lip and wiped a hand over his face. "This is gonna be weird."

"Weird how?"

"I just…shit, man, I barely know what to do in a normal relationship. This is literally going up to him and being like 'Hey, nice to meet you, you're really hot, wanna fuck me and then never talk to each other again? Cool'." Daryl grimaced. "At least, that's how I feel it'll sound."

Glen eyed him for a moment, before he shook his head. "Well, you can back out if you want," he said.

"I don't want to," Daryl replied. He wanted a baby, damnit, and he didn't want all the baggage and stress than an Alpha brought with it. This was a perfect solution for him – it was cheap, it was easy, and more importantly, it came without drama. If this Alpha met him and decided he was willing to go through with it, Daryl would make sure he knew that his involvement stopped after conception. It was easier that way.

 

 

"I'm nervous," Daryl muttered, biting his lower lip as Glenn's car came to a stop in the parking lot outside of a café. They'd chosen somewhere central, busy, and open by design. Glenn had agreed to stay nearby but they'd both decided that it would be even more awkward to have him sitting there while he and Rick talked about…whatever they were going to talk about.

What _would_ they talk about? Daryl had to be able to stand his personality long enough to fuck, which could end up being a long-ass time. He wanted to make sure they were at least semi-compatible, he didn't want to conceive a child with an asshole. Maybe the guy was racist. Maybe he had a gambling problem. Did that matter? Racism and vices weren't genetic.

"I can come in with you, if you want," Glenn offered.

Daryl shook his head. The only thing more uncomfortable than the pending conversation would be having it chaperoned.

"I got this," he said. "I'll text you when you can come get me."

"Be safe, man," Glenn said, and Daryl got out of the car and closed the door behind him so that Glenn could pull away and merge back into city traffic. It was cold outside, humid but chilly with the wind biting through Daryl's jacket. He shoved his hands into his pockets and ducked his head, going inside. The innards of the café were warm and pleasant, the lights a dull, yellowy glow and the tables pristinely white. The seats were a mixed splash of lime green and bright red that contrasted nicely with the hardwood floor. It was a pleasant-feeling space and Daryl absently wondered if it had been Glenn or Rick that had suggested it.

He spotted Rick immediately. The Alpha was the only one there who looked like he was waiting for someone. He cleared his throat and bypassed the counter where people were waiting to get their coffees and pastries, and walked up to the Alpha.

"Uh, hey," he said. "Rick, right?"

Rick blinked at him, before he smiled and nodded. He offered Daryl the other seat. "You must be Daryl," he said. His voice was rough and low, drawling just enough that it marked him as a Georgia native immediately. Daryl liked it.

"You been waitin' long?" Daryl asked.

Rick shook his head. "A few minutes," he replied. "Can I buy you a coffee?"

"Uh, nah," Daryl said. "Tryin' to cut back."

Rick nodded, accepting Daryl's refusal without complaint. That was a good trait in an Alpha – some of them could get condescending when an Omega exercised will and opinions that were different than their own.

They sat in silence for a moment, and it felt uncomfortable, and Daryl cleared his throat. "Sorry," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. "This is weird."

Rick smiled. "Glenn explained to me a little of what the situation is," he said, and took a drink of his coffee. It was in a to-go cup, like he had considered the possibility that Daryl might not show at all. "How do you know him?"

"We were roommates in college, then I guess we just kept bein' roommates."

"And, if you don't mind me asking, what would his involvement be in all this?"

Daryl blinked at him, frowning. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, he set up the meeting, he's the one who approached me. And now you're saying he lives with you?"

"He'll probably move out to be with his mate soon," Daryl said, trying not to let the sadness show in his voice. He wasn't sure how well he succeeded, and kind of wished he had taken Rick up on his offer to buy coffee because he desperately needed something to fidget with or do to distract himself. Rick's eyes were even brighter in person, the scruff on his face just the right length and covering his jaw and neck. His hair was just long enough to touch his neck and turned curly at the end. Daryl wanted to run his fingers through it.

More than that, though: Daryl felt like Rick's entire attention was completely and wholly focused on _him_. Even when he'd tried dating, he had never gotten the whole 'night flew by' feeling that others got. Time didn't run away from him when he was with his partners. And they would check their phones or look around the restaurant or movie theatre or wherever they were, as though searching for something to say.

Rick didn't do that. Rick didn't seem to mind Daryl's silence at all.

Daryl cleared his throat after a moment. "Glenn told me you're single?" he asked, and Rick nodded. "No family? No kids?"

At that, the Alpha let out a sheepish sound. "I'm divorced, actually," he said, and Daryl frowned. Divorced meant married, and married meant he had been with a woman. If it had been another Omega, he would have said 'mated', or 'widowed'. There was no in-between. "And I have a son. He's almost seventeen now. His mother and I have been separated since he was ten."

"Do you get to see him?" Daryl asked. He had to know if any successful children between the two of them would cause Rick to project his paternal instincts on the baby, whether Daryl wanted him to or not. He couldn't afford to have Rick get attached.

Rick nodded, his smile turning soft and adoring as he stared down at his hands. "Pretty much every day," he said. "His new dad's my best friend and partner on the force, so I go and hang out there and he visits me on the weekend sometimes."

Daryl blinked. "Your best friend took your mate?" he asked. Rick spoke so _calmly_ about the whole thing, almost as if it wasn't fucking insane and completely unheard of for an Alpha to bear no ill will to any threat to his position as leader of the house or his mate and children. Of course, Rick had had a wife, not an Omega, but the _Alpha_ instinct remained the same.

Rick smiled and shook his head, like he knew what Daryl was thinking. "It was never like that," he said. "By the end of it, Lori and I were more like roommates than man and wife. And I knew Shane loved her. I could smell it on him whenever he'd come over. They're much better suited to each other than she and I ever were."

"And since then? No Omegas? No women?" Daryl asked, both impressed and disbelieving.

Rick nodded. "I tried dating for a while, but the hours I work make it almost impossible to keep anything steady going. It's one of the things that really strained my marriage, but somehow Lori and Shane make it work. I'm not sure. But yeah, just the one son and the ex-wife." His smile turned sheepish and playful. "Alright, Alex, I'll take 'Awkward Love Life Questions' for two hundred."

It startled a laugh out of Daryl, who shook his head and rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. "Stop, I told you this was weird," he said, unable to stop himself blushing.

Rick nodded, sobering up somewhat. "Well, I guess it would benefit us both to talk about what, exactly, would be expected of this arrangement. We can negotiate, compromise, whatever else we need to do. Then, we decide if the end result is something that's acceptable to both of us, and go from there."

Daryl nodded. "Sounds reasonable."

"Alright. I have some questions of my own, if you don't mind," Rick said, and Daryl gestured for him to continue. "I wanted to ask what persuaded you to go this route. Glenn told me you found me because of the donation I made, like, ten years ago."

Daryl nodded. "I can't afford I.V.F.," he said. "And dating always…ends badly. I don't want a mate. I don't want a relationship. I just want to have a kid, and the only way I can make that happen is the natural one."

Rick nodded, either expecting that answer or assuming that was the case. "That's fair. Then I guess it would be important to make sure we're both clean, beforehand." Daryl nodded, biting his lower lip. "Alright, um…. I guess my next biggest question would be my level of involvement in the whole thing."

Daryl sighed. He figured this would be the part that would make or break the arrangement. "At this point, nothing," Daryl said. "As soon as I get pregnant, as far as I'm concerned we don't have to see each other ever again."

Rick blinked, his face carefully neutral. "Is that part negotiable?"

"At this point? No," Daryl said. "Maybe later…"

"So, you're not expecting any financial help, or emotional support, or anything like that?"

"You mean obligation and baggage? No."

Rick nodded, expression still blank. He had expressive eyes, but Daryl didn't know him well enough to read them. The Alpha's eyes flashed down and he took a sip of his coffee, letting out a loud gasp when he took the cup away.

"Alright," he murmured.

"Any other questions?" Daryl asked.

"I suppose just logistics at this point, but that's dependent on you wanting to move forward. So, do you have anything else you wanna ask me?"

Daryl cocked his head to one side. It shouldn't matter – all the things Daryl wanted to ask Rick were personality things, opinion things. Things he would probably be better off not knowing and things that definitely didn't need to be known to make a baby.

But he was also in a nice coffee shop with low, gentle music and a pretty Alpha who didn't seem intent on leaving any time soon. It was nice. Daryl _liked_ it.

"You're a cop, right?" he asked, and Rick blinked and nodded, like he hadn't expected Daryl to ask him something like that, either. "How long you been one?"

"Eesh, must be…just under twenty years now?" he replied, thinking back. "I went into the academy straight outta high school and been one ever since. It's all I've ever wanted to be."

"Why?" Daryl asked.

Rick shrugged one shoulder. "I like helping people," he said, wincing as though he understood how cliché that sounded. "I don't know. I like figuring shit out. People fascinate me; how and why they do what they do."

"My nut-case proposal must be very interesting, then," Daryl said, only half-joking.

Rick's smile widened. "In a sense, yes," he said, openly, honestly. "But I guess that's what it comes down to. I like taking a puzzle, figuring it out, maybe I get to save the day or put away someone bad. And I get to see a facet of people that doesn't often come out, and I like that about the job."

Daryl hummed and Rick lifted his eyes. His cheeks went pink. "But I'm rambling. What do you do?"

"I work for a home repair company," Daryl replied with a shrug. "Air conditioning units, electrical wiring, shit like that."

Rick smiled. "So you like solving problems, too," he said.

"I guess." Daryl bit his lower lip and shifted in his seat. He looked around the café – the section that Rick had sat it was fairly removed, up a step and in the booths lining the walls. "Alright, so I wanna hear about these logistics."

Rick's eyes flashed, a small flicker of red visible in them before it was gone. Most Alphas carried an ever-present ring of red in their iris that marked them as an Alpha, but Rick didn't have anything. His eyes were pure blue, through and through.

"Well, since you said you have a roommate, I think my place would be the best to do it. I'd have you come over and make yourself comfortable there – with Glenn at first, of course, until you were sure you wanted to move forward with it. Then after a few play-fighting sessions, your Heat would trigger, and we'd get you pregnant then. If you're not pregnant before your Heat is done, we'll try and trigger another, until we're sure."

"Sounds like you've given this a lot of thought," Daryl said, impressed again.

Rick shrugged one shoulder and took another sip of his coffee. "It's important that you feel comfortable in my space, and assured enough that you'd be willing to let me mount you. I have no intention of rushing you, or pushing anything." He paused for a moment. "Forgive me if I'm overstepping. Glenn told me you've never mated."

Daryl shook his head.

"Have you ever been with an Alpha?"

Daryl shook his head again. "I never trusted anyone enough to just fuck me. There's too much expectation. And I know Alphas can sometimes lose their control and bite an Omega during sex. So, no, I've never let an Alpha fuck me."

Rick blinked at him. If he felt the Alpha satisfaction at the thought of taking Daryl's virginity, he kept it well-hidden. "Do you know what you like? Sexually?"

"On my own, sure," Daryl said. His cheeks felt like they were burning red by this point. "But I don't need to get off to get pregnant."

The growl Rick let out was small, almost inaudible amongst the thrum of the café noise, but Daryl heard it. He shivered. "I'm not gonna just -." He shook his head, clenching his jaw. "The play fighting will be important. I want to figure out what you like before the Heat got triggered."

"So you're saying you'd be willing to try this?" Daryl asked. He already knew he liked Rick – the Alpha's attention to detail and his foresight were appealing traits, and Daryl wanted desperately to have a child with Rick's eyes.

Rick nodded, licking his lips. "Are you?" he asked.

Daryl took a deep breath, before he nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Yeah, I definitely am."

Rick smiled, his eyes bright with relief and anticipation. "I'll be sure to get a space ready for you, and get myself tested, of course. Here." He pulled out his phone and handed it to Daryl. There was a picture of a young boy as his screensaver. His dark hair and bright eyes perfectly matched Rick's, except he had a little ring of red in the iris. He was grinning at the camera and wearing an oversized cowboy hat on his head. Daryl smiled. "You can put your number in and I'll text you so you have mine."

Daryl nodded and obeyed, before he put his number in and handed the phone back to Rick. Rick texted him and Daryl took his phone out to see _Rick Grimes_ come up from an unknown number. He saved it quickly and sent a text to Glenn, letting him know the meeting was winding down and to come get him.

"Let me know when you're ready," Rick said, as Daryl stood. He stood as well and offered Daryl another kind smile. "I'm looking forward to hearing from you."

"Yeah, I'll let you know," Daryl said, practically giddy with anticipation. He received the thumbs up emoji from Glenn and knew the other Alpha was on his way. "It was great meeting you, Rick. Thanks."

Rick nodded. He walked with Daryl out of the café and Glenn pulled up on the curb. The two Alphas gave a nod of greeting to each other and then Daryl got in the car and Glenn pulled away.

"So?" Glenn asked. He was almost vibrating with eagerness.

Daryl smiled. "I like him," he said, and Glenn grinned at him. "He's reasonable, and smart."

"And, of course, super pretty."

"I thought you didn't like men."

"I can _appreciate_ a good-looking guy," Glenn said with a roll of his eyes. "So what's the plan?"

"We're gonna get tested, make sure we're clean. He says he'll make a nest for me at his place and invited us both to go over and scope it out, make sure everythin's on the up-and-up. Then, I guess, we go from there."

"Daryl's gonna get lai-aid," Glenn singsonged, and Daryl glared at him. He resisted the urge to punch Glenn since he was driving.

 

 

Rick's house was in the middle of a suburban cul-de-sac. It was the kind of place Daryl would be sent on for his at-home jobs to fix a faulty light or replace an A/C unit. There was a nondescript undercover car parked in the driveway, as well as another four-door sedan that Daryl assumed was Rick's civilian car.

Glenn let out a low whistle. "Nice digs," he said, pulling in behind the sedan. Daryl couldn't help but agree – clearly Rick wasn't hurting for money, and his lawn was pristinely kept. Daryl and Glenn got out of the car and went to the front door. The door was a dark wood, with the center carved out to make way for glass so someone could look through and see who was there. He rang the doorbell.

Rick opened the door and smiled at them. Daryl couldn't help smiling back, his stomach tense and fluttery with anticipation. When they'd met in the café, Rick had been wearing tan uniform slacks and a button-down, but now he was in jeans and a t-shirt, one edge of the loose garment tucked up into his jeans to give him access to a gun should he wear it.

"Nice to see you guys again," he greeted, and stepped back to invite them inside. Without the scent of coffee and pastries, Daryl was able to smell Rick. He looked soft and approachable in his civilian clothes and Glenn had been right – he did smell good. He smelled like paper and molasses, something sweet teasing at Daryl's nose.

"Can I offer you anything? Beer? Coffee? Water?"

"Water's fine," Daryl said, and Glenn nodded. Rick smiled and left them in the foyer, heading to the kitchen. His house splayed out in front of Daryl, comfortably but sparsely decorated. There were pictures on the mantelpiece of the same boy Rick had on his phone – his son, Daryl assumed. There was a photo of him, another Alpha, the boy, and a woman, all huddled together and smiling for the picture. Daryl could see the woman's jaw in the boy, the straightness of her hair mirrored in Rick's son's. The other Alpha was much bigger than Rick, more of the stereotypical build of an Alpha.

"That's Shane, Lori, and Carl," Rick supplied when he came back with their drinks. He handed a glass to Glenn and Daryl each. When he handed the glass to Daryl, their fingers brushed, and Daryl felt something electric run down his spine. Maybe it was anticipation, maybe something else. He took a long drink of water to try and squash the feeling.

Glenn was looking around, taking everything in. His nostrils flared as he scented the air, the red ring in his eyes almost glowing. Daryl let him take it in, sure that Glenn would be looking for things and signs that Daryl's species didn't even register.

"Oh! Before I forget." Rick reached into his back pocket and took out a folded piece of paper and handed it to Daryl. "This is my schedule for the next month. The shifts highlighted in red are ones that might drag on a bit, like stake-outs and stuff like that. Otherwise I'm at your beck and call."

Daryl fought back a smile and took the paper with a nod, shoving it into his pocket. "Thanks," he said, before he cleared his throat. His eyes flashed to Glenn, who looked pleased at the gesture. "I wanna see the setup."

Rick nodded, still smiling. "This way," he said, and led the way up the stairs and onto the second floor. It was a plain hallway, with beige carpet and off-white walls. All of the doors were open except for one and Rick stopped in front of it. "I tried to keep it as Alpha-free as possible. Lori actually helped me with this."

Daryl raised an eyebrow. "What's she got to say about the whole thing?"

"Well, I didn't exactly go into the details. I think she's just happy at the implication."

Daryl bit his lip. "There ain't no implication," he said, his voice hard.

Rick nodded. "I know. But she's…traditional, in some ways. I told her I needed an Omega space and she didn't ask too many questions after that." He paused, his hand on the door handle. "If this makes you uncomfortable, I understand."

"Just as long as you know the deal," Daryl replied, and Rick nodded and smiled.

"Yeah, I know the deal," he said, and then opened the door and took a step back so that Daryl could enter and Rick's scent wouldn't get in the space.

Inside, the nest was…lovely. Daryl's room in his apartment was set up similarly. He didn't have a bed on a frame; it sat on the floor instead, with his favorite pillows, blankets, and soft clothes piled up high in every corner to create a kind of wall. Rick had done something similar. The walls weren't very high but Daryl figured he didn't have many spare things that didn't smell of him to dedicate to the nest. Daryl set his glass down by the floor and stepped inside, running his hand along the soft fleece blanket that made up one edge.

Daryl knelt down and ran his hands across the padding on the floor. It wasn't a mattress, but layers of what he could only assume were camping and yoga mats, covered with a thick blue duvet. It was the same color as Daryl's eyes and Daryl wondered if that was on purpose.

It was perfect. Daryl closed his eyes and sighed, lifting up one what looked like an old college hoodie and pressing it to his face. True to Rick's word, he hadn't used anything that smelled too much like the Alpha, but Daryl could catch just a little of his scent on it, that molasses-sweet aftertaste. Rick's thoughtfulness warmed him with affection and he stood back up, smiling as he grabbed his water and came back to the door.

"Do you like it?" Rick asked, and for the first time he looked nervous, unsure. He desperately wanted Daryl to like it, that much was obvious.

Daryl nodded and Rick's smile was like the first breach of sunlight on the horizon. "Can I talk to Glenn for a second?"

"Of course. I'll be downstairs."

Rick left them alone and once Daryl was sure he was out of earshot, he turned to Glenn. "Holy shit," he whispered. "He made a fuckin' _nest_ for me."

Glenn nodded. "He seems really…conscientious," he said. "What do you think?"

"I'm a little freaked out his ex-wife helped him make it, but other than that I feel good about this. About him."

"Good enough to let him pop your man-cherry?" Glenn asked with a smirk.

"Oh my _God_. See, this is why I shouldn't tell you stuff," Daryl replied, his cheeks going red. But in truth, he wasn't sure Glenn wasn't right. Rick had proven in such a short amount of time to be way more respectful and informed than any of Daryl's past partners had been. He was focused, analytical, and driven. Three things Daryl absolutely liked in the Alpha. "How about you? What kinda vibe are you gettin'?"

"He seems like a good guy. He's clearly willing to do whatever it takes to make sure you're comfortable and feel safe. Do you feel safe?"

Daryl looked away, and brushed a hand down one of the walls. "Yeah," he said, almost surprised at how true it was. He hadn't known Rick past an hour-long talk and his house, but he _did_ feel safe here. He felt like he could trust Rick, that Rick wouldn't push or overstep.

"Do you want me to leave you here?"

Daryl smiled, sheepish. "That obvious?"

"Your pheromones are kinda…strong right now," Glenn said, trying to be tactful. Daryl's blush darkened. "I can, though, if you want. I trust him to get you home safe."

Daryl nodded. "Yeah," he finally said after another moment of thought. He pulled out Rick's schedule and looked at it briefly. It began today. "But I'm not sure I'll be comin' home tonight."

Glenn raised an eyebrow and smirked, but didn't say anything in reply. Both men went back downstairs to see Rick in the kitchen, busying himself with pulling out what looked like leftover casserole from the fridge.

"You guys hungry?" he asked in greeting. "There's more than enough."

"Nah, I should probably take off," Glenn said, setting his half-empty glass of water on the counter.

Rick nodded and looked at Daryl. "Will you be leaving, too?" he asked. The way he asked it sounded almost vulnerable.

Daryl bit his lip and shook his head. "I'd like to stay, if that's alright."

Rick's eyes brightened and he grinned. "Of course! Glenn, let me walk you out. Daryl, feel free to make yourself at home. Like I said, there's plenty."

Daryl smiled and Rick walked Glenn out to the front door. The Alphas exchanged muted words that Daryl didn't hear over the hum of the microwave, as he found the plates and dug out a small portion of casserole for himself and for Rick. It was still heating up when Rick returned.

Daryl turned so he had his back against the counter, nursing his water as the microwave hummed away. "I'm really glad you like the nest," Rick said after a moment.

Daryl smiled. "I appreciate the thought," he replied. "All of it. You're way more prepared than I expected."

"I'd be pretty bad at my job if I didn't know how to plan ahead."

Daryl shrugged one shoulder. He supposed, in contrast, his job was a lot more spur of the moment. He finished his glass of water as the microwave beeped and Rick stepped forward to take out the food. If he was surprised that Daryl had chosen to supply him a portion as well, he didn't show it. Daryl knew what it was – the instinctive need to care for and provide for one's Alpha was one that ran deep in Omegas. He hadn't even realized what he'd done until the food had started cooking.

Rick handed him a fork and they went to the small table in the kitchen. Daryl took a bite and let out a surprised moan. "Holy _shit_ ," he said, putting his hand to his mouth. "You might be the first Alpha I've ever met who could cook worth a damn."

Rick smiled, his cheeks turning pink under the praise. Daryl swore he might have heard a little purr as well. "My momma taught me," he said, taking a bite of his own portion. "She said it's no good if you move outta the house and get mated or married and end up with another mom."

"Sounds like a wise woman."

"She's the best," Rick replied, his smile soft with affection. Most Alphas had tenuous relationships with their parents, especially if their father was Alpha. They'd butt heads and argue a lot when the son got older. It settled Daryl to see evidence of Rick's strong family bonds. Daryl was sure he was a great father to Carl as well, and would be to Daryl's baby if Daryl let him. "What about you? Do you have any family?"

Daryl shook his head, glaring down at his plate. "My momma died when I was a kid," he said. "Then it was just my daddy and brother. Both Alphas. They fought a lot."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Rick said, quiet and sympathetic.

Daryl shrugged and took another bite instead of answering. The food really was spectacular, far better than Merle or Glenn had ever managed to throw together. Daryl sensed Rick wouldn't hesitate to feed him well during this whole thing.

They ate in silence, and it wasn't awkward. Daryl was only used to awkward silences, but with Rick he felt comfortable and secure. Like this was his house, his mate, and they were ending the day in quiet companionship. It was dangerous to think about.

Rick finished his plate and sighed, wiping his mouth with his hand, and set his fork down. Daryl's stomach went tense and his heart stuttered in anticipation. Rick was looking at him with that focused gaze again and Daryl couldn't break it.

Rick bit his lower lip, his eyes raking Daryl up and down. "Is there anything else you want to go over? Do you think you wanna do this…with me?"

Daryl swallowed hard and nodded. "I feel…safe here," he confessed, and this time Rick _definitely_ let out a tiny purr. Rick smiled, cheeks pink at how loud it was, and nodded as though to himself.

"Great," he said. "Then you can just let me know when you want to play -."

"Now," Daryl interrupted. Rick went still and blinked at him. "I wanna play right now."

Rick's eyes flickered, showing his red, and he cocked his head to one side. He pressed his lips together, as though waiting and testing Daryl's resolve. Daryl refused to back down – he held Rick's gaze as though challenging, and then Rick stood.

He circled the small table slowly and Daryl's breathing was already starting to get rougher, his heart pounding as he remained still as Rick approached him. Rick's fingers twitched, and then he reached out and gently pushed Daryl's hair back from his forehead and ran his fingers through Daryl's hair. Daryl shivered, his eyes itching as the gold started to show through.

"Tell me if I do somethin' you don't like," Rick murmured, and Daryl had to wonder just how many of his previous partners wouldn't have even offered the same courtesy. He nodded and felt Rick's hand tighten in his hair.

Daryl gasped and Rick leaned in, pressing their mouths together. The saliva of an Alpha has hormones in it to kickstart the slick response in an Omega, the arousal in a woman. Daryl shivered and let Rick kiss him, his fingers clenching tight on his thighs. Rick leaned over him, pressing him against the back of the chair. He took control in a way so easy and unobtrusive, Daryl didn't even realize he was whining until Rick pulled back and it escaped into the open air.

Rick smiled, sharp and predatory. There was more red in his eyes now and Daryl could smell his scent changing, growing stronger and thicker with arousal. He tugged on Daryl's hair and Daryl stumbled to his feet, colliding with Rick's chest as the Alpha kissed him again.

Rick turned him and pressed him against the nearest wall, sliding close so that Daryl could feel their bodies pressed together. Rick wasn't crowding him, wasn't forcing his face to the wall so that he could rut and do whatever he wanted. His free hand landed on Daryl's chest and spread wide, sliding up.

"Do you like your neck touched?" Rick asked between one kiss and the next.

Daryl swallowed and licked his lips. They were tender and tasted like Rick. "I don't know," he replied honestly.

Rick nodded, and his hand slid up just a little more until his fingertips touched Daryl's bare skin, where it was exposed, where his collarbones met. Daryl trembled and whined, his cock twitching in his jeans and his head already hazy from the hormone release of being kissed and manhandled, even as gentle as it was.

"Fuck," he gasped, when Rick ran the tips of two fingers up the middle of his throat and then to the side, nails dragging. "Yeah. I like that."

He tilted his head to one side instinctively and Rick growled, flattening his free hand across Daryl's throat as his hand in Daryl's hair tightened. He kissed Daryl again and pushed against him, trapping him against the wall. Daryl could feel how hard Rick was and his mouth went dry.

He clutched at Rick's clothing, unsure of where else to put his hands. His fists went tight in the back of Rick's shirt and he urged the Alpha closer, kissing him urgently when Rick growled against his mouth. Daryl had used his own hand before, and the one and only vibrator he had convinced himself it was okay to buy in his college days. He was unprepared for how much more intense it was with the presence of an Alpha. Everything in him was screaming to go to his hands and knees and let Rick mount him.

Rick stroked his thumb over the hollow at the base of Daryl's throat and Daryl's knees went weak. He whimpered against Rick's mouth and Rick bit his lower lip.

Daryl flinched back, pressing his fingers to his mouth. Rick immediately backed off. "No?" he asked, and Daryl shook his head. He hadn't exactly _dis_ liked it, but it had come as a shock.

"I don't want you to bite me," he said, his voice shaking. "Even…even lightly. No bites."

Rick nodded, pressing his lips together, and kissed Daryl's bared neck. "I'm sorry," he said. "I won't. I promise I won't."

Daryl nodded, letting out his exhale unsteadily. The warmth of Rick's hand and mouth on his neck felt addictive. It felt like a burn. He slid his hands up Rick's back and wrapped his fingers in Rick's curls. He tugged and Rick growled, his eyes flashing with pleasure. Daryl accepted his kiss, moaning softly when Rick pushed their bodies flush together once more. Daryl spread his legs, unable to help it, and whined when Rick shoved a thigh between them to give him something to grind against.

Play fighting was largely hormonal. There could be a sexual element to it between mates or non-family members, but Daryl had never play fought with anyone before. He'd never let his partners play with him because playing could all-too-easily lead to sex. But he _liked_ playing with Rick. His head was dopey and warm, his fingers loose and slow.

Rick licked into his mouth, earning another gasp from Daryl, and let go of his hair and neck so he could place his hands on Daryl's flanks. He kept the touch above clothing and Daryl whined, unsure if he wanted to accept the loss or demand more of Rick.

But this was just play. Daryl wasn't ready for more and he didn't want Rick to think that it was okay to just touch him whenever he pleased. He ground his cock against Rick's thigh and let out a quiet hiss, pleasure arching up his spine and leaving him jittery and needy.

"Rick," he moaned, and felt the Alpha give an answering shudder against him. "Rick, _please_."

"What do you need?" Rick asked, his voice low and rough. He pulled back so he could see Daryl's face.

Daryl shook his head. He didn't _know_ what he needed. Arousal was burning hot in his chest and he wanted _more_. "Can you…touch my neck some more?" he asked, feeling stupid for asking. His cheeks were flushed and his eyes were bleeding gold and he sure he looked just as needy as he felt.

Rick smiled and nodded, leaning their foreheads together. "Of course," he whispered, and pulled a hand from Daryl's side to brush over his neck again. Daryl trembled, biting his lower lip, caught in the chaotic mesh of red and blue in Rick's eyes. Rick shivered, biting his lower lip. "Christ, you smell good."

Daryl trembled, his words lost in a gasp as Rick flattened his palm over Daryl's rapid pulse and tightened his hand there. "So do you," he replied. Rick's eyes flashed and he growled. "You smell, _fuck_ , you smell really fuckin' good. I want my baby to have your scent."

Rick went still, the red in his eyes almost completely taking over for a brief moment. Daryl knew, objectively, how Alphas reacted to statements like that, but he had never seen it for himself. The ultimate victory for an Alpha is to dominate and breed their mates, sire strong offspring and further their line. Despite already having a child of his own, Rick was apparently not immune to ideas like that.

Rick kissed him like he couldn't bear not to, the hand still on Daryl's flank going tight above his shirt.

"I'll give you an Alpha, sweetheart," he growled, nuzzling Daryl's jaw so Daryl was forced to turn his head to one side. Daryl whimpered and clutched at Rick's shoulders. "I'll give you what you want, when your Heat hits. Gonna make sure there's more come in you than slick by the end of it."

" _Fuck_ ," Daryl hissed, and Rick let out a quiet purr as Daryl's hips jerked against his thigh. He felt Rick lick his jaw, tease his teeth there. But he didn't bite, not even close. Arousal sparked down Daryl's spine and he let out another desperate sound. "Keep talkin'."

Rick smiled. "What do you want me to talk about?" he asked, squeezing Daryl's throat for a briefest second and then stealing Daryl's air from his mouth. "Want me to talk about how good you smell, how pretty your gold is? Almost lost my mind when I first smelled you, sweetheart. And now…fuck, now I have you here and willin' to breed for me. Gonna make damn sure you don't regret pickin' me, Daryl."

Of that, Daryl had absolutely no doubt.

Rick reared back and then pressed their foreheads together. He was breathing hard, a rumble caught in his throat. He bared his fangs for a brief moment and Daryl shivered, biting his lower lip.

"I wanna play with you all night," Rick confessed. "You look so good with my hand at your neck, ruttin' against my leg. Gonna be such a sweet little breeder for me, aren't you?"

"Fuck, _fuck_ ," Daryl gasped, his entire body going tense as Rick squeezed his throat one more time and pressed his thigh against Daryl's clothed cock. He arched his hips forward, desperately chasing the pressure, and felt the tight knot of arousal in his spine unwind and fly out to all four corners of the Earth. He came hard, rutting against Rick's thigh as though out of his mind with it, and he lunged forward to kiss the Alpha and Rick met him with an eager purr, letting go of his throat and petting through Daryl's sweaty hair instead.

When Daryl was finished and felt like he could stand, Rick let out another purr and nuzzled Daryl's red cheek, his gasping mouth. He kissed Daryl one more time and Daryl whimpered. His head felt like it was full of clouds, like he was floating on a high he'd never come down from. If _this_ was what play fighting was, Daryl might just keep Rick around for more of it.

Which was dangerous to think. Daryl cleared his throat and Rick stepped away. His cock was still hard, outlined in his jeans, but he didn't press to make Daryl do anything about it and Daryl didn't offer.

Instead, Rick smiled, and seemed genuinely concerned when he asked; "How was that?"

Daryl rubbed his tender throat and nodded. "That was…good," he said. "Real good."

"I'm glad," Rick replied. "You can use the nest if you'd like to sleep here. Otherwise, we can call Glenn."

"I wanna stay," Daryl said before he could think any better of it. "I booked the next two weeks off anyway. Got nowhere to be."

Rick blinked at him, but seemed overjoyed at the prospect of having Daryl in his home. "Alright. You're free to use the clothes in the next. I have some more old ones that don't have my scent on them, if you'd prefer."

"Thanks, Rick," Daryl said with a smile. He was lethargic and dopey, high on the feeling of play. It wasn't quite play fighting, wasn't quite being mounted, but some delicious thing in between that made him feel like he was walking on air.

Rick bit his lower lip as though considering something. "The more I touch and kiss you, the sooner your Heat will trigger, most likely," he said.

Daryl huffed a laugh. "Okay," he said, and Rick was quick to push him against the wall again and kiss what little breath he'd regained away. Daryl wrapped his arms around Rick's shoulders and moaned. It was like he was drunk on Rick, and he knew the feeling would go away, but he _liked_ feeling like this. No wonder Omegas liked to play so much.

Rick led him back to the nest and bid him a good night. He left a glass of water outside of Daryl's room and Daryl smiled, seeing it when he came out of the bathroom which was across the hall. He was so thirsty, he drank all of it down readily and carried the glass inside so he didn't forget it in the morning.

He texted Glenn to tell him he was safe and spending the night. He'd get more clothes in the morning, and his bike so he wasn't stuck here, but he got the distinct impression that over the next two weeks, Daryl wouldn't be leaving the house much whenever he had a chance of Rick being there.

And he was absolutely certain of the fact that Rick wouldn't mind that one bit.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another slow day at work! I wanna say don't get used to it but I don't wanna jinx myself.

Daryl woke up feeling relaxed and sated. He had chosen to sleep naked, too uncomfortable in his come-stained underwear to remain in it, and he wasn't going to sleep in just jeans when there was a literal feast of clothing for him to choose from.

The air in the room was pleasantly warm, it felt like Rick had put the nest right under a heat vent and it brushed over Daryl's bare back like a lover. He burrowed deeper in the thick fleece blanket he had touched before. The hoodie he'd liked was draped over the backs of his legs and curled around his thighs.

A knock came at the door, and Daryl realized why he'd woken up in the first place. "Daryl?" Rick called, softly so as not to wake Daryl if he was still asleep. "You awake?"

Daryl let out a sleepy groan. His whole body felt like he'd just gotten a deep tissue massage. He was lax and sleepy and didn't want to move. But then his stomach gave him a hearty kick and reminded him of how little he'd eaten. Rick's food was good but he hadn't had much of it and Daryl was used to staying up late and eating a large dinner close to midnight.

"Yeah, I'm awake," he called, when Rick didn't say anything else and he didn't hear the Alpha moving away.

Rick hummed. "I have coffee and food if you want either. Glenn's downstairs. No rush," he said, and then Daryl heard him walking down the hallway and the stairs, leaving Daryl alone to get dressed at his leisure.

It was so strange. Daryl hadn't been around an Alpha like this in his entire life, except maybe Glenn. And even then, he wasn't sure Glenn would treat him the same way if they were mated. Alphas were possessive and territorial – the fact that Rick had let him sleep alone was a testament to how much Rick respected his space and privacy. Which, on the one hand, was insane because Daryl fully intended to make a kid with him and that meant privacy was going to have to go out the window.

But on the other hand, it was sweet. Adorable, even. Daryl smiled to himself, chest warm with affection, and regarded the pile of clothes and the glass of water he had left by the door. His underwear was a lost cause, but his jeans were salvageable and he put them on. He pulled the same t-shirt over his head that he'd worn to Rick's house.

The clothes were comfortable enough in the warm room, but Daryl knew the rest of Rick's house was much cooler. He bit his lip and eyed the nest.

"Fuck it," he muttered, and went back to the nest to grab the hoodie he'd favored. After sleeping on it all night, it only smelled like him and so he didn't mind putting it on. It was tight in the shoulders, clearly Rick was once even smaller than he was now, but it was comfortable and fleeced on the inside and Daryl hummed softly in pleasure.

Outside of his room, there was a neatly folded towel and toiletries that he recognized as being his own. Glenn must have given them to Rick. He grabbed them and headed into the bathroom. He didn't shower, but he brushed his teeth and ran his fingers through his hair to try and calm it down from the wild mess it had taken overnight.

He left the things there. Rick probably had a bathroom of his own, and if Daryl was getting his own room it wasn't that much of a stretch to claim the bathroom as well. He splashed some cold water on his face and sighed, letting himself out of the bathroom and heading downstairs.

Glenn and Rick were at the same small table that Daryl and Rick had eaten at last night. The red in Glenn's eyes was more pronounced – he could probably smell Daryl's slick and the play they'd had yesterday in the air. He was polite about it, though, and didn't give any other indication that he sensed it.

Rick looked up as he approached and smiled. "Morning," he said. The clock on the microwave told Daryl it was almost ten in the morning. God, he'd slept so much, and so _well_. He'd never realized just how relaxing and cathartic play fighting was. No wonder so many people did it. He wondered if Rick had felt the same release, felt as settled and content as Daryl did. "I can make decaf, if you want it."

Daryl blinked at him. "You just _have_ decaf? I know your hours," he said, taking a seat.

Rick huffed a laugh and shook his head. His cheeks went pink and he bit his lower lip. "No," he confessed. "I, ah, tried to be as prepared as possible."

Which was unsurprising, considering what Daryl already knew of the man. "I can drink normal," he said, figuring he owed Rick some honesty in return. "I didn't want to get anything because I was paranoid that it wouldn't work out and didn't want an obligation to stay."

Rick blinked at him. "Oh," he said, biting his lower lip. He had a steaming cup of coffee in both hands and his thumb dragged along the edge of the handle as though nervous.

Glenn took pity on him; "Don't take it personally," he said, taking a sip of his own coffee. "Daryl's kind of an asshole and doesn't like people."

"And here I thought I was special," Rick replied, and it was only half-teasing. It was natural for an Alpha to want to please their mates, offer them good food and warm bedding and, of course, emotional and sexual satisfaction. But that didn't apply here, because they weren't mates. Daryl would have to remember that, and so would Rick.

Daryl rolled his eyes and pushed himself to his feet. "Where're your cups?" he asked, and Rick pointed to the cabinet above the stove. Stupid place to put mugs. He opened it and took one out, it was plain black and squared off at the edges. He poured himself a cup of coffee from the machine and sat back down.

"Thanks for bringing my stuff," he told Glenn, who nodded and smiled.

"Brought you some clothes, too. They're in a bag by the door."

"Cool," Daryl said. Rick drummed his fingers against the side of his cup absently, his eyes fixed on the window but looking at nothing in particular. He was just so fucking _pretty,_ it wasn't fair. The sunlight made his eyes look like they were glowing, darkened the shadow of scruff on his face, made his nose look sharper, his jaw stronger. Daryl licked his lips and turned his gaze away. "I think it's safe to say you're gonna have the place to yourself for a while."

Glenn smirked. "Maggie's already over there rearranging everything," he said, and Daryl rolled his eyes. It was almost rude, to go into an Omega's home and start messing shit up, but Daryl had never tried to assert his domestic dominance over the place and he liked Maggie, and she would probably make the apartment a helluva lot nicer than Daryl ever could.

"As long as she keeps outta my room, I'm good."

"She knows," Glenn replied. "You forget her dad's Omega."

"Oh. Yeah."

"Maggie is…?"

Glenn looked at Rick, who had turned his attention away from the window. "My fiancé," Glenn said.

"Oh." Rick nodded, accepting that. His thumb stopped stroking the handle of his mug. "I remember. Daryl told me you had a mate."

"Yeah," Glenn said, shrugging one shoulder. "She doesn't like that word, though, so I gotta call her the hetero names for it." He shook his head. "It's hard to remember, sometimes."

"I understand," Rick murmured, and Daryl knew that he genuinely did. Rick's eyes flashed to Daryl like he wanted to say something else, but held himself back. Daryl frowned, and took a sip of coffee to hide it. Being around Rick was weird, in that it wasn't weird at all. It _should_ be weird. The way Rick had touched him and spoke to him last night had melted Daryl to the core and he felt better rested than he ever remembered being. And Rick had said the more he touched Daryl, the more likely and sooner his Heat would trigger. Which meant Rick should be touching him. He should put his hand in Daryl's hair and kiss his neck and run his fingers down Daryl's flanks.

But he wasn't, because Daryl hadn't said he could. Which was a good thing. Restraint and control were good things. But Daryl _wanted_.

He cleared his throat. "I heard there was food?" he asked.

Rick straightened. "Of course! Sorry. Here." He went over to the fridge and opened it for Daryl to look inside.

"Holy shit," Daryl breathed. Between his childhood, being a starving college student, and now with his shitty job and both he and Glenn so deep in debt they could hardly see, he had never seen a fridge so well-stocked. There were containers upon containers of pasta, rice, and potato-based dishes. It looked like Rick had been cooking all night.

Then the thought appeared to Daryl that he _might_ have. He straightened up and looked at Rick in question.

Rick's cheeks went pink again. "…Like I said, I wanted to be prepared," he murmured, rubbing the back of his neck in a nervous gesture. "It'll be important to keep us both well-fed and carbs are the best way to do that. I also have some fruit cups and shit like that – quick things."

Daryl's throat felt tight, like he couldn't swallow. He took in a shaky breath and turned his eyes back to the veritable hoard of food in Rick's fridge. "Uh, what're you gonna have?" he asked.

Rick smiled and reached out to grab what looked like eggs, potatoes, and ham all piled up lasagna-style. "I'm particularly proud of this," he said, opening the lid to show Daryl. It smelled good, even cold. Daryl could see flecks of red in it. "Do you like spicy food?"

Daryl nodded. "Hell yeah I do."

"Awesome," Rick replied. He reached out and then stopped his hand, just shy of touching Daryl's arm. It was like he only just noticed what Daryl was wearing. He bit his lower lip, hard enough that Daryl could see the skin go white around his teeth. Rick wanted to touch him, to kiss him too probably, but he stopped himself. "…You can sit down, relax. I'll heat this up for you."

Daryl nodded again. "Okay," he said, and then because he could and because he wanted to, he leaned into Rick's touch so that the Alpha's hand landed on his arm, spreading out wide along the muscle of his shoulder. Rick's eyes flashed with just a flicker of red and he ran his hand down Daryl's arm, and then let go.

Daryl wanted to touch him again. He swallowed back a whimper of loss and returned to the table and took a long drink of coffee to try and stifle the need. The drink burned the roof of his mouth and made his tongue feel tender but he forced himself to do it.

Glenn eyed him for a moment, his nostrils flaring as he scented the air. Daryl's cheeks were red and he shifted his weight and hoped Glenn was too polite or too considerate to point out the abrupt spike in pheromones that Daryl was no-doubt releasing.

Of course, he should have known better to think Glenn would have mercy on him. Glenn smirked and waited until Rick came to the table with the portion of breakfast split onto three plates, and he handed each of them one and took his seat back at the table.

Glenn even waited until Daryl had a bite in his mouth, the little shit. "So, Rick, when you think you're gonna get our boy here knocked up?"

Daryl choked on his bite, coughing loudly and reaching for his coffee to try and swallow it down. Glenn was grinning at him, and continued to eat nonchalantly as Daryl gasped and glared at the Alpha. "You're a fuckin' dick," he growled, and this time he did punch Glenn because Glenn wasn't driving and that couldn't save him.

"Ow! What? Isn't that the whole point of this…thing?"

Daryl glared at him again, growling softly in warning, and took another bite of food. It was delicious – of course, at this point he would expect no less. The chili in the eggs burned and the ham was flavored with something like lemongrass and it mixed together wonderfully on his tongue.

Rick cleared his throat after a moment. "At the risk of getting punched as well, I think I have an answer to your question, Glenn."

Daryl glared at Rick, but it was much less heated this time. He couldn't stay mad when the Alpha looked so adorably flustered.

"Well?" he said, and gestured with his fork to keep going.

"Our attempts at play are promising, and immersed in an Alpha's home I don't think it'll take long for your body to trigger a Heat." He paused for a second, as though a thought just occurred to him. "You're not on suppressants or anything like that, are you?"

Daryl shook his head. "Just never had it triggered."

Rick nodded. "It might be very intense," he said. He didn't sound condescending; his voice was laced with genuine concern. "I've heard that the older an Omega is for his first Heat, the worse it can get. And you've gone…what, ten years past the presentation age?"

"More like fifteen," Daryl replied with a nod. Rick's mouth twisted and he looked worried. "I can handle it."

And he didn't know why he did it. If someone were to ask him and think back to that moment, all he would have been able to say was that the worry on the Alpha's face made him ache. He didn't want Rick to worry, he wanted to soothe the Alpha and ease his concerns. So, he reached out and brushed his knuckles lightly over the back of Rick's hand and ducked his head to meet Rick's eyes.

Rick bit his lower lip and nodded, as though answering some question Daryl hadn't even asked. "Still, I'm going to try and stock up as much as I can. No idea how long your first Heat will last with nothing to compare it to."

Daryl nodded in understanding.

"It can last longer than three days?" Glenn asked, breaking the moment and frowning between the two of them.

Daryl sighed, some long-buried memory from sex ed. class in high school flickering in his brain. "Yeah," he said. "Like women with their periods. Some Omegas have it for a day, then it's over. Others it's really bad and can last up to a week. Only difference is we have it to _get_ pregnant, not to get rid of missing the chance."

Glenn grimaced, shaking his head. "Eesh, thank God there ain't women Omegas. Can you imagine?"

"That would suck," Daryl said in agreement. He turned his attention back to eating. Rick was a damn good cook and again, Daryl found himself idly thinking that it might just be worth keeping him around during the pregnancy so that he could be fed and play whenever the mood struck him.

Glenn checked his watch and huffed. "Crap. I gotta go," he said in apology, pushing himself to his feet. Rick and Daryl stood as well and Rick walked towards the door to see him out. "Daryl, let me know if you need anything else from the apartment, okay? And I expect daily updates." His eyes flashed to Rick at that point. "Until his Heat hits."

"I'm _right_ here," Daryl complained, gesturing to himself.

Rick smiled. "I'm sure you'll be notified, one way or another," he said, his voice gentle when he looked at Daryl. Again, that look came over his face like he desperately wanted to say something else, but he held himself back.

Glenn nodded, apparently satisfied with that answer. "Alright, you kids have fun!" he said, and then he left and Rick shut and locked the door behind him. It was a simple enough gesture, to keep one's house safe and make sure no one could just wander it, but the sound triggered a sense of anticipation in Daryl as soon as he heard it.

Rick smiled at him and then headed back to the kitchen to clear the plates. Daryl's coffee cup was still half full so he took another sip, cradling it in his hands. He wanted to offer to help, but that was another step dangerously close to comfortable intimacy, asserting his role as Omega in the household, so he held himself back. Rick set the dishes in the sink and filled them with warm water to soak, before he turned his attention back to Daryl.

Daryl bit his lower lip. "You work today, right?"

Rick nodded. "I'll have to leave around one," he said. That didn't give them a lot of time – it was almost eleven in the morning already.

"Do you…" Daryl cleared his throat and ducked his gaze. "You think you have time to play?"

Rick licked his lips, his eyes raking up and down Daryl's body like a physical touch. "Yeah," he said, circling the kitchen island and prowling over to Daryl. Daryl put his coffee cup down and sucked in a breath.

"Good," Daryl said, lifting his eyes. "'Cause I don't think anythin' I've ever done's felt that good before."

Rick smiled, and put a hand in Daryl's hair and kissed him. Daryl could taste coffee on Rick's tongue, he liked it sweeter than Daryl did. It complemented his molasses-sweet scent and filled Daryl's lungs when he took a breath in.

"Rick," he gasped, already breathless and shaking with anticipation.

Rick hummed and kissed him again. "How do you feel about play talk?" he asked.

Daryl frowned. "What is that?" he asked. "Like dirty talk?"

"In a sense." Rick pressed his lips gently against Daryl's jaw, coaxing his head to one side so his hand had room to put pressure there like he'd done the night before. Daryl's breathing went heavy and shaky and he swallowed hard, and felt his throat move under Rick's strong hand. Rick kissed the corner of his jaw and licked at the flexing tendon in Daryl's neck, just below his ear. "It's not just shit like how hot you are or how good it feels. It's…more instinctive than that. It's about reassurance and -. I'm not really sure how to explain it."

"Show me?" Daryl murmured. "I can tell you if I don't like it, right?"

"Of course," Rick said. His voice was so close to Daryl's ear and it made his arms break out in goose bumps, his breathing was getting shivery and high. He clutched at Rick's shoulders and whined in the back of his throat.

Rick didn't say anything at first. He tightened his hand on Daryl's throat instead, thumb rubbing up the tender outside, and kissed his way back to Daryl's mouth.

He licked over Daryl's lower lip and kissed him deeply and Daryl whined, arching against Rick's chest. They weren't pressed against the wall like last time, and Daryl felt shaky without the wall at his back to hold him up.

"Shh." Rick ran his free hand through Daryl's hair, coaxing another whine from him when his hand went tight on Daryl's nape. Daryl almost collapsed outright, clinging to Rick's shoulders hard enough that his nails dug in. "I'm gonna take care of you. Such a sweet thing."

Daryl whimpered, swallowing hard. His mouth was dry. "Rick, please," he gasped.

"What do you need, sweetheart?" Rick asked. He drew back just enough that Daryl could see his eyes, admire the pretty red glowing there. "I'm here. I can help. What do you need?"

"I…" Daryl's head was fuzzy and hot, the right words wouldn't come to him. "I wanna kneel," he finally said. His legs were so shaky that he knew if it weren't for Rick being there, he'd be on his knees anyway. And it felt right, natural, to drop to all fours and mimic the way their kind evolved to move together.

The growl Rick let out sounded like it had been punched out of him. His eyes flashed and his hands tightened in Daryl's hair and his neck. He sucked in a shuddering breath, and Daryl abruptly realized that Rick was shaking, too. Like he needed it just as much as Daryl did. It occurred to him that Rick hadn't really dated – or claimed he hadn't – for almost six years. That was a _long_ time for an Alpha to go without something like this, especially when he'd at least gotten the chance to know what it felt like. Daryl had never played before, but even after one session he felt the desperate need to do it again. He couldn't imagine how badly Rick wanted it.

Which made his control all the more admirable.

Rick still looked hesitant, so Daryl took control this time and leaned in for a kiss, his hands sliding up to Rick's hair and fisting tight. Rick growled and let go of Daryl, putting his hands on Daryl's flanks instead and squeezing.

Daryl gasped, and ducked his head to nuzzle at Rick's jaw. "Touch me," he commanded weakly, and Rick let out a plaintive-sounding moan, but obeyed. His hands snaked under Daryl's borrowed hoodie and his shirt and flattened out warmly along his smooth skin. Rick's hands were rough with calluses from his gun but he touched Daryl with such reverence that Daryl hardly felt them.

Rick kissed him again and then pulled back. "If you really want to kneel, you can," he said, his voice wrecked. "But you don't have to."

"I want to," Daryl replied, and Rick nodded, breathing unsteady. He let go of Daryl just long enough for Daryl to look at him, and then Daryl stopped fighting his body's desperate desire to lower himself to the ground, and he slid to his knees smoothly in front of Rick.

Rick growled, _loudly_ , his eyes flashing red as Daryl looked up at him. Rick put a hand in his hair, fisting tightly and Daryl leaned into it, his head limp and totally at Rick's mercy. The Alpha blew out another explosive breath and let go of Daryl, circling him and falling to his knees behind the Omega.

"Forward," he ordered, and Daryl whimpered and obeyed, falling to his hands and knees in front of Rick. Rick's hands flattened out on his sides again and pushed his shirt and hoodie up to expose more.

Daryl knew what he'd find. He went tense when Rick pushed up his clothing just enough to reveal the first scar. It had almost cut his kidney, and sat close to the spine and low. Rick paused, his fingers tracing around the mark with incredible gentleness.

"How did…?"

Daryl bit his lower lip. "Told you my dad and brother fought," he replied, not even sure why he did. He didn't owe Rick the answers to those kinds of questions. "Sometimes I got the fallout."

Rick made a low, angry noise. His hand touched just shy of the scar again, like he was afraid that by touching he would reawaken the pain when it was first made. "Can I touch you here?" he asked, and Daryl bit his lip and nodded. He felt Rick put his weight on his hands, on Daryl's hips, and then the Alpha leaned down and gently brushed his lips along the scar. "I would never hurt you like this. You know that, right?"

And Daryl wasn't sure if it was part of the play talk or something Rick genuinely felt he needed to say, but it warmed him either way to hear it. _Reassurance_ , that's what Rick said it was about. "I know," Daryl replied, licking his lips. "I trust you."

Rick trembled behind him, and opened his mouth wide to kiss Daryl's shoulder blade. "That makes me so happy to hear, Daryl," he said breathlessly. His hands slid up Daryl's flanks again and curled underneath, fingers splaying out gently on Daryl's bared stomach. Daryl was softer there, his body evolved to be able to stretch and grow round for a baby. Rick touched him there like he was already pregnant, reverent of the life that he'd put inside of Daryl.

Daryl moaned quietly, dropping to his elbows and arching back as Rick's hands slid up more, fingertips brushing his nipples. Rick bent over him and Daryl closed his eyes when he felt Rick's erection rut against his ass through their clothes. It was a decadent feeling, plastered as he was under the heat and weight of the Alpha.

"Rick, _fuck_ ," he whispered, fingers curling as Rick nuzzled the nape of his neck. True to his promise, he didn't bite Daryl, but he licked over Daryl's nape and nipped at his hair as his fingers teased Daryl's nipples. Gently, at first, then squeezing a little harder, before he let them go and rubbed over them again. Daryl bared his teeth and growled, fists flattening against the floor and rutting back into the touches desperately.

Rick pulled back abruptly and Daryl whimpered with loss. "Roll over, sweetheart," Rick said, big hands flattening on Daryl's hips to help him move. Daryl moaned, shifting to something more comfortable with the knot of hoodie bunched up at his back. Finally, he sat up and yanked that and his t-shirt over his head, baring his chest to Rick's greedy eyes.

Rick gasped, the red in his eyes darkening at the sight of Daryl's exposed flesh. Daryl yanked him down for a kiss and spread his legs, gasping when Rick fell between them and rutted against him desperately. " _Fuck_ ," the Alpha snarled, and Daryl could feel Rick's cock rubbing alongside his own and the pressure there was fucking amazing, as high as Daryl felt. His blood was hot and his heart was racing and he kissed Rick again, whining low in his throat when Rick put a hand back to his neck and squeezed.

"I wanna -." He swallowed, digging his nails into Rick's shoulders and dragging them down over his shirt. It wouldn't leave marks, but Daryl _wanted_ to leave marks.

Rick nodded. "Yeah," he said, and reared up so that he could yank his shirt over his head. He threw it to one side on the pile of Daryl's hoodie and shirt. "Fuckin' mark me up, sweetheart."

Rick wrapped his free arm under Daryl's shoulder and let his weight fall against the Omega, kissing him breathless and squeezing his neck as Daryl's hands found his back and dug in. His nails weren't too long, just long enough that they'd leave nice red lines in Rick's back. He pressed down lightly at first, testing the give and the Alpha's reaction. He dragged his hands up Rick's back and felt the Alpha's body arch up against it, and the way it made Rick move forced more pressure on his cock and made Rick moan against Daryl's jaw and mouth. He did it again, harder this time, and the noise Rick let out was closer to a whimper but no less encouraging.

"You like that?" Daryl asked, strangely giddy over finding something that Rick liked. Rick nodded, gasping heavily when Daryl raked his nails across his back from one side to the other and Rick fucked forward, like he was moving inside of Daryl and chasing a knot. He kissed the Omega harshly, his free hand sliding up Daryl's neck until it sat right under his jaw. It forced Daryl to tilt his head up and bare his throat for Rick's mouth.

"God, you smell so fuckin' good," Rick growled against his neck, licking a wide strip up Daryl's throat and then kissing him again. "I wanna fuck you so bad."

"You can, tonight," Daryl replied. He wanted it _now_ but they didn't have the time for that. "I wanna fight you."

Rick nodded, his eyes glowing a deep and dark red. He reared back and Daryl sank his nails into Rick's sides, letting out a low and needy sound to try and get the Alpha back on top of him. Rick's hand left his neck and his shoulder and slid down his exposed chest, and Daryl arched up when Rick's hands came to a stop at his hips.

He knew what Rick wanted. Daryl licked his lips and nodded and Rick smiled down at him, before his fingers curled in the waist of Daryl's jeans and he slowly pulled them down. Daryl whined when his cock came free, sitting hard and heavy against his stomach. The cool air brushed over his sensitive skin and made him shiver.

He reached for Rick and Rick put his head in Daryl's hands and let Daryl knot his fingers in the Alpha's hair.

He leaned down, one hand gently circling the base of Daryl's cock. He looked up at Daryl with wide, wanting eyes. "Is this okay?" he asked. Daryl nodded. He thought he might die if Rick didn't touch him soon.

Rick smiled, and then closed his eyes and opened his mouth, letting his lips wrap around the head of Daryl's cock and sinking down slowly. Daryl growled, one hand leaving Rick's hair so he could bite at his own fist, his legs trembling as he fought the urge to fuck up into Rick's mouth. He looked so good like that, cheeks and neck red with arousal, spreading down his chest, his hair all in disarray from Daryl's hands and sucking hard at the head of Daryl's cock. Daryl knew, like this, exposed as he was, Rick would be able to smell his slick far more strongly. The Alpha was taking deep, greedy inhales whenever he could, sinking down onto Daryl's cock until his lips met his fingers.

" _Fuck_ ," Daryl moaned, tilting his head back to stare up at the ceiling. He rolled his hips, testing Rick's ability to take him and gasping when Rick swallowed him down, only choking a little but not pulling off. Daryl could feel his slick on his thighs, he was soaking wet. It would probably leave a stain on the floor. "Rick, fuckin'… _Goddamn_."

Rick pulled back, sucking on the head of Daryl's cock, and opened his eyes so he could look up at Daryl. Daryl's eyes were almost totally gold, he was sure, driven to that primal place Alphas could take Omegas so readily. He wanted to bare his throat and spread his legs desperately but with the way his jeans were wrapped around his thighs, there was only so much he could do it. He whimpered when Rick's fingers left his cock and gently massaged his balls, teasing at the slick gathered there from his hole.

He let out a growl and Daryl whimpered. "Please," he said. "Please, just – just a finger. I need -." And he lost his voice when Rick obeyed, turning his hand and sliding one finger inside of Daryl's soaking wet body with ease. He curled his finger up immediately, putting pressure there and Daryl whined, his thighs trembling and sweat gathering at his nape and the small of his back.

Rick pulled off of his cock completely with another loud sucking sound, breathless, his lips pink and bruised. Daryl tightened his hand in Rick's hair and hauled him up for a kiss, shuddering when Rick sank another finger inside of him and his free hand planted itself on the floor by Daryl's head.

"When you fight me," Rick rasped, "how do you want it to end?" His throat was clearly sore, voice low and fucked-out and it sent ricochets of arousal down Daryl's spine. Daryl growled. "Want me to fuck you just like this? Let you claw and bite me as much as you want? Or you wanna be on your hands and knees so I can really breed you?"

 _God_ , Daryl wanted all of it. He wasn't sure if Rick was asking because he needed to know, for tonight, or if he just knew how much play talk affected Daryl, but at this point he felt it was moot. He was _close_ , so fucking close, and Rick's fingers fucked into him and curled up and pressed against _that_ spot, that always felt so good when he used his toy.

He was going to come and there was nothing he could do to stop it. "Rick," he gasped, arching up against Rick's chest and his fingers. "God, I don't care. Just want you to knot me. Wanna breed for you."

"Yeah," Rick snarled. "Gonna use me however you want, aren't you? Long as I get a baby in you."

Daryl whimpered and nodded. Alphas didn't submit that way – they took control and dominated and used their Omegas how they wished. Rick wasn't like that. He had Daryl, just like he said, and Rick slid his hand to Daryl's throat and squeezed, kissing him fiercely.

"I'll let you," Rick growled. "Let you do whatever you want to me, sweetheart. C'mon, show me how bad you wanna breed for me."

Daryl gasped, his nails raking down Rick's back harshly as he felt his orgasm sweep over him. He bore down on Rick's fingers, able to feel the girth of them and wishing it was something bigger. He wanted to come on the Alpha's knot, wanted to feel Rick deep inside of him and soaking him with something other than Daryl's slick.

Rick let out a rough, pleased sound, his fingers still brushing over that spot until Daryl was little more than a twitching mess underneath him. His come coated their stomachs, slicking the way as Rick rutted between his thighs.

Then, when Daryl was too sensitive to touch, Rick withdrew his fingers. Daryl was breathing hard, his eyes wide, chest and neck red, and he watched breathlessly as Rick reared back, his free hand planted on Daryl's chest, and he hastily ripped at his jeans and wrapped a hand around his cock, stroking quickly. He didn't pull it out, just worked his slick hand over his cock like he was a teenage boy trying desperately to get off in a public place.

He came a few moments later, snarling low and baring his fangs. His come spurted out over his hand and some of it landed on Daryl's exposed skin. He twitched at the feeling and swallowed back the disappointed sound he wanted to make. He could have had that _inside_ him. Of course, outside of a Heat he wouldn't be able to conceive, that was the whole point of trying to trigger one, but he felt like his body would react to the hormones of getting fucked, that he'd get there much faster if Rick spilled his load inside him.

Rick gasped, jaw clenched, and rolled his head to one side. His eyes fluttered closed and he pulled his hand out, shiny with his come. Daryl licked his lips, thirsty for something he knew water wouldn't satisfy.

Then the Alpha went lax, and withdrew from Daryl with another sigh. He wiped his hand on his jeans and sat next to Daryl as Daryl sat up and pulled his jeans up to shield his ass from the floor. There was a pool of slick on the floor and he could feel it soaking into his clothes.

He ran a hand through his hair and huffed a shaky laugh. "Did you mean it?" he asked, and Rick hummed and looked at him. "You'd let me…bite you? Just use you like that? Or was that more play talk?"

Rick smiled at him. His eyes were going back to their normal, pretty crystal blue. "I don't say anything I don't mean," he replied with a shrug. "I'm pretty easy to please, and I can't imagine there's something you would want that I wouldn't be open to."

Daryl smirked. "You never know, I could be into whips and chains and shit."

"And I would do my best to accommodate that," Rick replied, honestly.

Daryl blinked at him. How in the world had no one snatched Rick up? It worked in Daryl's favor right now, but there had to be _something_. No one met an Alpha like Rick and didn't feel _anything_.

Daryl cleared his throat and looked away. "I really like playing with you," he said, because he felt like he owed Rick some honesty in return. Rick smiled.

"I'm glad."

"No, I mean…" Daryl growled to himself and shook his head. "I had no idea it felt like this. I get it, more, I think. Why Omegas like it so much."

Rick was quiet, but Daryl could feel his eyes like they were burning holes in the side of Daryl's face. He ran his hand over the nape of his neck and huffed a sheepish, self-deprecating laugh. "Sorry," he muttered, cheeks pink for an entirely different reason now.

"Don't be," Rick replied, reaching out and settling a gentle hand on Daryl's thigh. "I know you don't want a mate, a relationship, any of that shit. But this _does_ require a certain level of trust and openness with one another."

Daryl hummed. "What time is it?"

Rick turned to look at the clock on the wall by the entryway. "Time for me to start getting ready, I guess," he said, pushing himself to his feet. He held out a hand and Daryl took it, letting Rick pull him upright as well. Rick kissed him, his hands gently cupping Daryl's neck, and then rested their foreheads together. "I should be home around ten. Glenn brought your bike and keys over, and clothes for you. You're free to use and explore as you wish."

Daryl smiled, his brain fuzzy and his body lax and content. He leaned in for another kiss that Rick eagerly granted him. Then Rick pulled away, like it took him a great effort to do so.

Daryl caught his hand and pulled him to a stop. He bit his lip, and then took a deep breath; "You're a good Alpha, Rick," he said. "When this is over, you deserve to have a mate who appreciates that."

Rick smiled, but it was sad. He squeezed Daryl's fingers. "Thank you, Daryl."

 

 

Both he and Rick showered in their separate bathrooms and Rick left, giving Daryl one more kiss that left him feeling lazy and tense with anticipation. Daryl napped for most of the afternoon, his body coaxing him into sleep. He knew, objectively, that Omegas tended to get very tired after a good play session – if there had been sexual contact, it persuaded them to rest so as to not jeopardize a potential pregnancy.

He woke up at five and helped himself to one of the rice dishes. It was arroz con pollo and it was delicious, thick with chunks of chicken and olives and Daryl wolfed it down. Then, he did the dishes, because it was the least he could do.

When he was putting the mugs back, the thought he'd had that morning about the stupid placement of them struck him again. He frowned, and then muttered a quiet curse to himself, and pulled out all of the mugs and glasses. It made more sense to put them in the cabinet by the fridge, which was full of plates. The plates he put in the cabinet next to the mugs, and what was in _there_ , he put above the stove. Soon everything was completely rearranged to his liking. The spices and cooking utensils were near the stove, the pre-packaged food and non-perishables sat in the pantry by the microwave. The silverware was in the drawers in the kitchen island instead of tucked away in the corner by the dishwasher.

It didn't occur to him what he was doing until he had placed the last of the cutting knives in a drawer above where he'd relocated the cutting boards and baking trays. He froze, his hand on a large serrated knife.

"Fuck," he muttered.

He was _nesting_. He was…asserting himself in Rick's home. Daryl growled to himself and reached for the cleaning wipes – which were the only things logically placed, under the sink – and tried not to think about it as he wiped the floor where he and Rick had played until it no longer had the stain or the scent of his slick. Rick used unscented wipes and Daryl was pleased at the lack of lemony crap that normally assaulted his nose whenever he cleaned.

He wondered if Rick would be mad, or if he'd just accept Daryl's decision and keep it in place while Daryl was here. If he'd put everything back the way it was when Daryl left. The thought caused a strange pang of sadness in his chest and Daryl's eyes widened when he realized he _missed_ Rick.

"Shit," he growled, running his hands through his hair. This was dangerous. Already Daryl had confessed how much he liked playing with Rick – he didn't say that he wanted to keep doing it, after conception. He didn't need _that_ part negotiated on top of everything else. Rick had made it clear he was open to being in his child's life – he had asked Daryl, first thing, if that part was negotiable.

It couldn't be allowed. Daryl had to squash down these feelings, whatever they were, before he got in real trouble.

"It's just sex," he hissed, clenching his fists and nodding to himself. "Just _breeding_."

Breeding with a beautiful Alpha who pinged all the things Daryl liked and respected him when he said 'No'. An Alpha who was clearly prepared, accommodating, and willing to do whatever it took to make Daryl happy with this arrangement.

"Stop it," he growled.

Maybe if he spent some time around Rick's scent, it would be better. Resolved, Daryl went upstairs to Rick's room, grabbing his t-shirt and hoodie and putting it back on. He tried to ignore how the scent on Rick's shirt had rubbed off on the clothing, tried not to think about how that settled him somewhat.

Maybe he could find some dirt on the Alpha. Something to make him less attractive, if only a little. Something that Daryl could remind himself of whenever stupid feelings like this threatened to swallow him whole.

His hand hesitated on the handle to Rick's room. He knew it was Rick's room because the scent of the Alpha was strongest, and he could see through the open door to the bed that laid beyond. The bed that, when Daryl's Heat hit, he would spend days in getting fucked and bred. Rick kept all the doors open except Daryl's room. Like he didn't have anything to hide.

He pushed on the door until it swung all the way open and the scent of Rick hit him hard. He took in a deep breath, sighing contentedly as his lungs filled with the scent of the Alpha. Rick's room was sparsely decorated like the rest of his house. There was a chest of drawers along the wall to his right, and on it sat another picture of Carl, and then one of Rick and Lori, and one of Rick and Shane. There was a picture of an older couple. The man had Rick's eyes and the woman had Rick's nose and smile.

Daryl smiled, admiring the picture for a moment, before he took another breath and looked around. The bed was large and unmade, red sheets and a cream duvet knotted and rolled on top of the mattress. So Rick was messy, or at least he was when he wasn't expecting guests in his room.

Daryl walked forward and ran a hand along the duvet. It was thick and warm, almost velveteen to the touch. He grabbed a handful of it and lifted it to his face, taking a deep breath.

One of the edges of the mattress was oddly cornered, like someone reached under it often. Daryl let the duvet go and lifted the mattress up to see a small case underneath. It was black and nondescript. Exactly the kind of place one stored secrets in.

He frowned and pulled it out, sitting down on the floor. It wasn't locked. He opened it. Inside sat a gleaming silver pistol and a box of bullets. Daryl gasped, running his fingers over the muzzle of the gun. The chamber wasn't inside, but sat separately, fully loaded.

Well, Rick _was_ a cop. It would make sense for him to keep a gun under his mattress. Certainly nothing to run home about. Daryl closed the case and put it back, trying to mimic the fold of the sheets so it looked like he hadn't been there.

There didn't seem to be anything else that stood out, and Daryl was already feeling guilty about the invasion of privacy. He stood and looked around again, before he went to the door and closed it. He shed his clothes and laid down on Rick's mattress, pulling the sheets around him. The mattress was hard, just about as much give in it as a mat on the floor, and he loved it. One of the pillows didn't smell like Rick and he put his head on it, reaching out to touch the other one that smelled of Rick much more sharply.

The overhead air conditioning turned on abruptly and Daryl shivered, wrapping himself tighter in the blankets. He was tired, and soothed by the presence of the Alpha's scent. He fell asleep again quickly.

 

 

Daryl woke to the sound of the door opening, and went tense. He hadn't intended to stay in Rick's room all day – Rick had said he could explore as he pleased, but exploring was one thing. Falling asleep and getting his scent all over Rick's things was another.

He heard Rick pause by the door. Daryl was turned away from him so Rick didn't immediately know he was awake. Rick closed the door again and Daryl heard him moving around silently, clothes rustling, a soft 'thud' as he set down his gun belt and badge, and then the sound of clothes moving as he shed his uniform shirt and undid his regular belt.

Then Rick approached the bed. "Daryl?" he hazarded, reaching out and resting his hand on Daryl's covered shoulder.

Daryl hummed and opened his eyes. Rick was standing there, white undershirt untucked, tan slacks sitting low on his hips. He looked gorgeous, cheeks red from the heat of the outside and eyes glowing that beautiful blue.

Daryl sat up, biting his lower lip as Rick's hand slid to his hair and tilted his face up. The Alpha leaned down as though to kiss him, and took a deep breath of his scent.

"You smell nervous," he said, frowning. "Why?"

Daryl blushed, looking down. "Didn't mean to fall asleep here," he said. "It's weird. I'm sorry."

"It's alright," Rick replied. "I'm not mad."

"I rearranged your kitchen."

"…Okay."

"And I snooped around your room. Found the gun under your mattress."

Rick blinked at him and let his head go, straightening up. He didn't look angry. "And?"

"And…I mean, seems normal. You're a cop, after all." Then Daryl frowned. "You're not mad?"

"Why would I be mad?" Rick asked, cocking his head to one side. "You're making yourself comfortable. It's a nesting instinct. It's a good sign."

"I know that, I just -." Daryl sighed and shook his head.

"Talk to me," Rick said, sitting down next to Daryl.

"Let's just say it wouldn't'a gone over well when I was a kid."

Rick's eyes dropped to Daryl's chest, where one of the more prominent scars lingered in the form a stark white line. When he'd sat up, the sheet had fallen around his lap. Daryl remembered he was naked underneath Rick's sheets and his blush darkened.

"I won't hurt you," Rick said, reaching out and gently touching Daryl's neck. "I swear I won't."

"I know," Daryl replied, sucking in a small breath. His hands clenched in the sheets and he bit his lower lip.

"Would you still like to play fight?" Rick asked. His thumb brushed gently over Daryl's jaw and Daryl tilted his head to expose his throat.

"No," he replied honestly. "You still wanna fuck me?"

Rick tilted his head to one side. It looked like he was searching for something in Daryl's eyes. "Not right now," he finally said, and Daryl frowned. "Not when you feel like you owe me something."

Daryl bit his lip. "I don't -."

"Daryl, reading people is a _big_ part of my job," Rick said with a kind smile. "And no offence; you're not a very good liar." He brushed his thumb over Daryl's jaw again. "I'm not angry that you looked through my stuff. I have nothing to hide, from you or from anyone. And I'm not mad about you changing shit around if it makes you feel more comfortable. For all intents and purposes, this is your home until you're ready to leave, and that means I can't just do things my way and say it's the only way."

"You're way too accepting," Daryl said. "There's gotta be somethin' wrong with you."

Rick laughed, and stood. He pulled his shirt over his head and took off his slacks so he was in just his underwear.

"I'm sure that's an opinion shared by a lot of people," he said, and walked into the bathroom to brush his teeth and wash his face. When he returned to the bed, Daryl was lying on his other side so he could see Rick. Rick hesitated for a moment. "Are you okay with me sleeping here?"

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Not gonna kick you outta your own bed."

Rick shrugged one shoulder and pulled the covers back so he could slide under. Daryl immediately pressed close to him, craving the Alpha's warmth and Rick's touches. Rick hummed, smiling, and wrapped his arms around Daryl so he could pull the Omega close.

If he was surprised by Daryl's state of undress, he gave no indication. He kissed Daryl again, tasting of mint, and Daryl hummed, pressing closer until he was flush against Rick's chest and Rick's bicep acted as a pillow for his head.

Rick pulled away and smiled, his free hand cradling Daryl's face. "I'm glad you feel settled here," he said.

"I do," Daryl murmured. "I feel like it's weird, though."

"Which part?"

"All of it, I guess," Daryl said with a shrug. "I'll admit I didn't give much thought as to…how it would all go down. But I still feel taken off guard, like whatever I expected, this wasn't it." Rick hummed. "I like this way better though."

Rick smiled and kissed Daryl one more time. "Sleep," he coaxed, and Daryl gave a sleepy-sounding purr. He could feel his purr stuck in his chest, desperate to be let free. Unlike Alphas, who could purr and rumble on command when they were pleased, Omega purrs were almost entirely involuntary. They happened when the Omega was at his most content or relaxed. He'd probably start as soon as he fell asleep.

He nuzzled against Rick's shoulder and closed his eyes, sighing when Rick started to pet through his hair. Despite all the sleep he'd gotten that day, he slipped under quickly, with Rick's scent in his lungs and his gentle warmth lulling Daryl down.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Work got busy *sigh* I knew it would. I won't be able to update tomorrow (homework) and I think some other fics need some love, but have some feels and confessions and shit!

Rick's room was cool where his skin was exposed to the open air. He let out a sleepy, complaining huff, burrowing closer to the source of warmth in the bed. Rick's scent was still so sweet, almost like marshmallows because of the heat, and Daryl took in a deep, greedy breath of it. His nose was against Rick's neck, he could hear the Alpha's breathing and feel it tickle his hair. Rick's arms were still wrapped loosely around him, not smothering but merely cradling Daryl against his chest.

Rick was awake, or close to getting there. He shifted and let out a quiet sigh, pressing his cheek against the top of Daryl's head. His arm tightened around Daryl's shoulders and he started to lazily rub his hand along Daryl's nape.

Daryl shivered, warmth and anticipation rushing down his spine like a physical touch. He nuzzled Rick's neck, pleased when the Alpha bared his throat and let out a quiet, pleased-sounding rumble. Daryl kissed his exposed skin and Rick's hand tightened on the back of his neck.

"Daryl," Rick whispered, and Daryl pulled back so he could see the Alpha's eyes. They were glazed, flickering red, and Rick bit his lower lip and pushed his forehead against Daryl's, hand tightening even more on the back of Daryl's neck until Daryl felt the instinct-ridden tremor run down his spine.

He put a hand in Rick's hair, pushing it gently back from Rick's face, and submitted to Rick's kiss when the Alpha purred and pressed closer. Daryl let out a complaining huff at Rick's morning breath, sure that his was no better, and Rick laughed and drew back.

"Breakfast?" he asked, still petting over Daryl's neck. Daryl's hands were shaking, one of them still in Rick's hair, the other gently pressed against his chest. He bit his lower lip and nuzzled under Rick's jaw again. He didn't want to leave the comfort of Rick's bed, didn't want the warmth to go away or to move. It was another nesting instinct, Daryl is sure that's all that it was, but it was strong.

Daryl hummed, and opened his mouth wide to gently bite down on Rick's shoulder. The Alpha growled, his other hand tightening on Daryl's back and splaying out. "Want you to fuck me," Daryl said honestly. "You gonna insist on feedin' me first?"

"I think you should eat," Rick replied, his exhale shaky. "But I won't force you."

Daryl smirked and bit down harder on Rick's shoulder, sinking his nails into Rick's back. "Good," he growled, and grabbed Rick's hand, taking it from his back and dragging it down instead. Rick's eyes went wide, glowing red for a moment, before Rick closed them and nuzzled Daryl's hair as Daryl guided Rick's fingers to his hole. He was somewhat slick, teased by the hand on his neck and Rick's soft growls. Rick hauled him closer by his nape and dragged his fingers across Daryl's hole and Daryl whined.

"I kept waking up in the middle of the night," Rick confessed, rasping the words into Daryl's ear. "You talk in your sleep; did you know that?"

Daryl shook his head. He used to do it when he was a kid, but Glenn had never mentioned it so he assumed he had outgrown the habit. "Sorry I woke you," he murmured, fearing for a moment that Rick meant the worlds to be scolding.

Rick smiled and purred, his hand sliding down Daryl's thigh so he could scoop the Omega's leg up and lay it across his hip, before he returned his fingers to Daryl's ass. Like this, Daryl was more exposed and open, and he bit his lip and whined when Rick dragged his rough fingertips across Daryl's hole, just barely dipping inside to where he was slick and warm.

"You didn't," Rick replied, gently pulling Daryl's hair back from his neck. His nails dragged along Daryl's sensitive skin and he shivered, and then Rick slid down in the bed and nuzzled Daryl's jaw and licked over his exposed throat. "I sleep light."

"What did I say?" Daryl asked.

Rick let out a low noise, and Daryl could feel his cock twitch against his stomach. Rick pulled him closer and pressed a little more insistently against Daryl's ass, and Daryl shivered when he felt the slick muscle give, _just_ a little, allowing the tip of Rick's finger inside.

Rick hummed. "Nothing embarrassing, if that's what you're worried about," he teased. "Just noises, mostly. It sounded like you were having a good dream."

"Mm, you should'a woken me up, then," Daryl replied. Rick huffed a laugh and let go of Daryl's nape so he could push himself upright, his weight resting between Daryl's legs as he sank his finger a little deeper into the Omega. Daryl was already starting to get slick, his body understood this game now, and he arched his hips up to try and coax Rick deeper, clawing at the Alpha's shoulders.

Rick smiled and kissed Daryl instead of answering. It looked like he wanted to say something else, but swallowed it back. Daryl whined against Rick's mouth and wrapped his legs around the Alpha's bare back, his hips and cock rutting against Rick's where the soft material of his underwear still clung to his body.

"Rick," Daryl gasped, plaintive and soft as Rick sank his finger all the way in, curling it up to drag against Daryl's sensitive insides. "You – you're gonna fuck me, right?"

"If you still want that," Rick replied, nodding.

"Please," Daryl murmured, raking his hands up Rick's back and into his hair so he could tug the Alpha down for another kiss. Rick growled against his mouth and pulled his finger back, sinking in with two. It burned, Daryl's didn't play with himself there often, and he had come so hard on Rick's fingers last night that he was sore but he needed it, _God_ , he felt like he might go insane if Rick didn't get inside of him.

Rick let out a quiet snarl, putting his hand at Daryl's throat and Daryl whined, tilting his head up and to the side so Rick                 could grab and squeeze there. He reached down with one hand and wrapped it loosely around his cock, stroking in time with Rick's fingers as they thrust and curled inside of him.

" _Fuck_ ," Daryl gasped. He was so slick that Rick's fingers made an audible, wet noise whenever they sank all the way in. Rick's breathing was ragged, drunk on the smell of Daryl's slick in the air. He squeezed gently and pressed his thumb against Daryl's flying pulse.

"You look so fuckin' good like this," he said, and Daryl flinched and gasped as Rick worked in a third finger past Daryl's tight rim, forcing his body to accept the intrusion. It ached and tugged on the need buried in Daryl's instincts to submit for a knot. He _needed_.

Rick prowled over him, sliding his hand from Daryl's neck to fist in his hair, and his fingers thrust deep and curled up and he touched that spot inside of Daryl, pressing against it mercilessly and Daryl whimpered, submitting to Rick's desperate kisses as the Alpha growled.

"C'mon, sweetheart," Rick whispered, rough against Daryl's gasping, parted lips. Daryl tightened his hand on the head of his cock and twisted. The scent of his slick was strong in the room but Rick's scent overpowered it, warm and sweet and coating the back of Daryl's throat like honey. "Know you're close. Know you wanna be good and come for me."

Daryl whined, his stomach sinking in when Rick licked over his jaw. The Alpha dragged his teeth across Daryl's neck, not biting down but teasing at the idea and Daryl swallowed audibly. Rick's hand tugged his hair lightly and he whimpered.

Rick pulled his fingers almost all the way out, curling them on the inside of Daryl's rim like a knot would when it got stuck, and then he slid them all the way back inside and Daryl jerked, coming suddenly and with a choked-off gasp.

"Shit, _God_ , Rick, _fuck_ -."

"That's it, sweetheart. Show me how good it feels."

Daryl whined, lifting his head and rubbing his cheek against Rick's. Rick's stubble burned his skin and it stung and his ass was clenching down unbearably tightly around Rick's fingers. He let go of his cock, too sensitive to touch it as he spilled hot and wet between their stomachs.

"There we go. _Fuck_ ," Rick snarled, pulling his fingers out. He reared back and held up his hand, eyes red and fixed on Daryl's face as he slid his fingers into his mouth and licked them clean. Daryl swallowed, biting his lower lip, and then Rick kissed him. He tasted of Daryl's slick, something sweet and thick like rich caramel. "Did such a good job, sweetheart. So slick for me. You want me to fuck you?"

Daryl whined, nodding. He ran his come-coated hand through Rick's hair, delighting on the scent of himself on the Alpha. It satisfied a base, primal need in his gut, to smell himself on Rick. Rick kissed him again and pulled back with a smile, his hands flattening on Daryl's thighs to spread them out.

"Just like this?" he asked. "Or you wanna be on your hands and knees?"

"I don't know," Daryl replied. At this point he didn't fucking _care_. He just wanted Rick – needed the Alpha to fuck him and fill him like nothing else had.

Rick nodded, understanding that Daryl had no experience with stuff like this. "Knots are easier to take on hands and knees," he said.

Daryl nodded and pushed himself up on shaky arms, and Rick pulled back just enough that he could roll over. He dug his knees into the mattress and spread them, lowering himself to the mattress until the head of his cock brushed the soft material.

Rick let out an explosive breath, his hands splaying wide on Daryl's back and stroking upwards. "Like this," he said, and put weight on Daryl's back until Daryl sank down to his elbows, and then he tugged on Daryl's hips to get him to lift his ass up a little higher. "There we go. Just like that, sweetheart. Fuck, wish you could see yourself."

Daryl whimpered, arching back until he felt Rick's cock rubbing against his ass, still stuck in his underwear. Rick's control was insane, he hadn't even touched himself, had dedicated his attention solely to Daryl. Daryl wanted to repay the favor, move his body and use whatever he could to get Rick to come.

Rick hesitated for a moment, his hands tightening on Daryl's hips. "I want to ask you something," he said, and Daryl turned to look over his shoulder. Rick bit his lower lip, his eyes darting to one of the knots of bedsheets lying beside them. "Would it be alright if I put the sheets on your neck? It'd give me something to bite, mimic the pressure of a bite, but I wouldn't put my teeth on you. I don't wanna risk anything."

Daryl swallowed, his breathing unsteady, and he nodded. Rick smiled and tugged on one edge of the sheet, wrapping it until it formed a thick rope, and gently tugged it into place over Daryl's shoulders. It laid heavily on Daryl's neck and the Omega trembled, reacting to the pressure there and the promise of Rick's mouth.

It wouldn't be a bite, but it would give the hormonal and physical release of one. Daryl shivered and put his head back down.

"Please, Alpha," he whispered, rutting his hips back once more, and Rick growled. His hands left Daryl so he could push down his underwear to his knees, and then Daryl felt Rick's bare cock rub between his ass cheeks, cockhead slipping through the slick there easily. Daryl was so wet, he'd never been this slick before, even when he touched himself.

"Tell me if you need me to stop," Rick said. This was, after all, Daryl's first time. He owed it to the Omega to be gentle. Daryl nodded, and then Rick's hands landed on his ass, spreading him apart. Daryl's thighs trembled as he fought to maintain position with Rick's weight on him, and then the Alpha's cock started to press slowly against his hole.

Daryl's fists tightened in the sheets and he let out a low growl, gritting his teeth. Rick was bigger than his fingers, his cockhead felt like it was splitting Daryl in two. But he _wanted_ it. He wanted it so badly he could barely see.

" _Fuck_ ," he hissed, drawing the word out as Rick kept pushing in, until Daryl's body abruptly gave, between one breath and the next, and the head of Rick's cock slipped past his rim. Daryl could feel trails of his slick leak out around the Alpha's cock. It was so dirty, so incredibly base. His chest felt tight and his heart was hammering, cock twitching at the feeling of being penetrated.

"Oh my God, _Daryl_ ," Rick growled, hands tight on Daryl's hips as he kept pushing inside. Then his thighs were pressed against Daryl's and he was all the way in and Daryl felt consumed, completely exposed and split open. He was panting, high on the scent of Rick and himself.

Just like with play, the presence of another person made everything so much more intense, Daryl had no idea how he was going to survive when this was over.

"You're so fuckin' tight," Rick said, breathless, his voice rough with desire. Daryl clenched up around him and Rick's hips jerked, fucking into him before pulling back and thrusting in again. Rick let go of his ass and put his hands on the bed, on the outside of Daryl's forearms. It put his heat and weight against Daryl's back and Daryl felt Rick nuzzling at the sheet he'd put over his shoulders.

Rick was sweating, his chest slick against Daryl's back. Daryl whined and arched up, desperate to get Rick deeper. Rick pulled back and sank into him once more and his cockhead hit that sensitive spot inside of Daryl and the Omega howled.

"Rick, _Alpha_ , fuck me," he demanded, feeling Rick shudder and growl behind him, just as affected by Daryl's words as Daryl was by the feeling of Rick nestled deep inside of him and Rick's weight against his back. He turned his head and rubbed his cheek against the top of Rick's head and, unbidden, the Alpha let out a quiet rumble. "Please. Need you to knot me. Wanna breed for you."

Rick growled and bit down on the knot of rope around Daryl's nape. Daryl felt the pressure and gasped, arching up against it. It felt like Rick was biting him, holding him down and forcing his submission as the Alpha started to move, fucking into him in earnest. He fucked in slowly, savoring each inch of Daryl's body that was graciously given, and pulled back so quickly it punched a gasp from Daryl's lungs. Daryl whined, pulling his knees a little more tightly together so that he could lift his ass higher into each one of Rick's thrusts.

"Fuckin' perfect," Rick mumbled, like he didn't even know what he was saying. His hands found Daryl's forearms and wrapped around his wrists, tight enough his knuckles went white. "Stay still, sweetheart, just like that."

Daryl whimpered and did his best to obey. His head was cloudy from his orgasm and with each careful, deliberate thrust, he felt his body go lax, accepting the intrusion of Rick's cock inside of him as Rick got more forceful and powerful with his thrusts.

Rick grunted as Daryl clenched up around him, his hands tightening. "Gonna come," he warned, and then pulled back and coaxed Daryl down onto his stomach, his teeth never leaving the sheet wrapped around Daryl's neck. He slid his hand underneath Daryl's throat, cradling his jaw and Daryl moaned, stretching his arms out above his head so he could get some leverage and meet Rick's thrusts as best he could.

Then, Rick went still, rutting hard against Daryl's ass like he was scratching some itch only the Omega's body could satisfy. Daryl held his breath, tensing up despite himself.

Rick nuzzled his hair, breathing ragged. "Relax," he coaxed, the word a deep rumble in his chest. "Gotta relax, Daryl. Not gonna hurt you. I -." He growled, pulling back and thrusting in once more, and then he shuddered – a whole-body thing from his shoulders to his feet, and Daryl gasped when he felt Rick's knot start to grow, swelling up and locking them tightly together.

"Fuck, _yes_ ," Daryl whispered, groaning lowly as Rick trembled above him. Rick growled and opened his mouth wide on the sheet, biting down hard enough that Daryl could feel the pressure against his neck. He whined, the instinct to submit and let the Alpha mount and claim him almost overwhelming. He dug his nails into the mattress and buried his face against his arm to resist the urge to pull the sheet away and demand Rick bite him for real.

Rick's knot felt huge, Daryl's body twinged from the foreign feeling of being stretched. Then, with another shudder and low growl, Rick started to come. Daryl felt it, his cock spilling warm and wet inside of his ass.

Daryl shivered and put a hand in Rick's hair, petting through the sweaty strands, and Rick let go of the sheet with a loud gasp, rutting against Daryl's ass like he could still fuck. It forced his cockhead against Daryl's prostate and Daryl whined, arousal sparking low in his gut and spreading out from the insistent press of Rick's cock and the tug of his knot on Daryl's rim.

"Alpha," he whined, letting go of Rick's hair and snaking a hand under his stomach to stroke his cock again. Rick started to purr, the vibration of it gentle against Daryl's back.

"Fuck, yeah, come on my knot," Rick said, and pulled back enough that Daryl had some space underneath him to stroke his cock. Rick kept jerking his hips, tiny rabbit thrusts to tease Daryl's prostate, and Daryl growled and came with a low moan, sweating and shaky and completely fucking ruined by the Alpha stuck to him.

Rick sighed and gently rolled Daryl onto his side so they could rest and catch their breath. Rick was still coming, emptying himself inside of Daryl's greedy body and each time he did, his cock twitched and Daryl's oversensitive body gave an answering jerk. It was so much, too much, Daryl didn't know what to do with himself.

Rick started to purr again, one arm wrapping around Daryl's chest as he pet the Omega and soothed him back down from the high. He pet Daryl's chest, his flanks, lightly grazed his hip and his dirty stomach. He nuzzled Daryl's nape, pulling the sheet away so Daryl could feel his lips and teeth against his exposed skin.

"Holy shit," Daryl said when it felt like he could finally speak. He turned as best he could and Rick kissed him immediately, cradling his jaw so that Daryl didn't strain his neck.

Rick smiled. "My knot usually lasts about ten minutes," he said, and Daryl bit his lip, hot at the thought that Rick was going to be coming in him for _ten minutes_. "Might be a little longer the first few times. It's, ah, been a while."

Daryl huffed a laugh. "I have no idea how I'm gonna make it through my Heat," he said, only half-joking. It already felt so intense, the feeling of being so intimately connected with the Alpha.

"I'll be here," Rick replied, solemn and gentle. "I'll take care of you."

Daryl smiled. "I know." He turned his head away and settled down, using Rick's other arm as a pillow when the Alpha stretched out and went lax behind him. He put a hand on his stomach, imagining it already felt distended, full of Rick's come. And soon, hopefully, a baby.

"I think it'll be soon," Rick said after a moment. "Your scent is already starting to change."

Daryl nodded. "Will you be able to take off work, or…?"

"As much as I can," Rick said. "I don't like the thought of leaving you here, when it hits."

Daryl didn't really like the thought either. And not for the reasons he was supposed to.

 

 

Rick made them breakfast, and then he had to go to work again. They had time to play a little, just enough to give Daryl's brain the dose of happy hormones Omegas got whenever they played, but not so much that he didn't feel restless and needy by the time Rick left.

This was dangerous. Daryl felt like he had that feeling way too much. He _liked_ Rick. He liked him enough that he was considering playing with the Alpha and letting Rick fuck him during his pregnancy. Maybe even after that. Which was stupid. Daryl didn't want a mate, he didn't want a relationship. And Rick didn't either.

Didn't he?

Daryl had a headache after the second hour Rick was gone. He had until almost midnight before Rick was due back. He took the bag Glenn had brought him and put it in the nest and took a shower, and tried to ignore the feeling of loss he had when he realized he could no longer smell Rick on his skin when it was done.

He grabbed his bike and drove to his apartment. It reeked of Maggie when he got inside, and he could see she had clearly started making herself at home. The futon and the big rocking chair were in different places, there was no more of his beer in the fridge, and the place smelled vaguely lemony and almost like an Omega didn't even live here.

She had left his room alone, thank God. Daryl went inside to grab a few more changes of clothes, and his vibrator from under his bed. If he did happen to go into Heat while Rick was away, he wasn't going to be left high and dry.

Glenn wasn't home, so Daryl left quickly. They had a whiteboard by their front door so he wrote a quick message to say he'd been there and that he was safe. Then he went back to Rick's house and brought his new haul up to the nest.

He was sleepy, but his mind was racing and he was unable to sleep. He pulled Rick's sheets and blankets off his bed and put them in the washing machine. It wouldn't be fair to Rick to have his bed so thoroughly stinking of Omega should Daryl need to spend some time alone. Just as Daryl was at risk of falling prey to his instincts to settle and _nest_ , Rick was just as likely to become dependent on the scent of Daryl's pheromones and slick.

Daryl was still awake when Rick came home. The Alpha's scent was sour like he was angry, but he gave Daryl a warm, tired smile when he saw him. Daryl went to the fridge and grabbed one of the portions of food and stuck it in the microwave.

Rick went upstairs to shed his uniform and put his gun and badge away, and when he came down he smelled a little calmer, and was dressed in sweatpants and a comfortable-looking hoodie, his feet bare. He approached Daryl just as the timer beeped and Daryl stepped to one side so he could grab it.

Rick looked at him, frowning. "Are you alright?"

Daryl nodded, biting his lip. Rick still smelled like anger, his molasses scent soured like grapes that had gone bad and started to turn into vinegar. "How was work?" he asked.

Rick huffed. "One of the crooks Shane and I caught got off with a warning," he said, taking the food to the little table in the kitchen. Daryl followed and took his place opposite. "Kinda annoying, since this is his third offence. I mean, he's just a flasher, ain't like he's dangerous, but…yeah. Annoying."

"I see."

Rick looked up at him, his food still untouched. "I'm sorry," he said, and took a deep breath. His scent mellowed out somewhat. "How are you? How was your day?"

Daryl shrugged. He wasn't sure they should be talking about each other's days, but he had wanted to know why Rick was pissed and this was how conversations went, right? Daryl was allowed to _converse_ with the guy, after all. There were no rules against that. "Went back to my place to get some more clothes," he said. "Then kinda just lazed around."

"No more rearranging I need to be aware of, right?" Rick asked with a playful smile.

Daryl's cheeks went pink. "No," he said. "Not yet."

Rick hummed and took a bite of his food. Daryl had eaten a little while before. "I wanted to talk to you about something," he said, when Rick was almost finished.

The Alpha raised his eyes and made a sound of encouragement. Daryl took in a deep breath. "You asked if you…being involved with the kid…after, was negotiable," he began, and Rick nodded. "And I said 'No'." Rick nodded again. "Well…maybe it is."

Rick cocked his head to one side.

"You're a good Alpha, I know that now. I didn't know that before. I didn't want to say something could happen and then have it blow up in my face. But…I think it'd be okay. If you wanted to see your kid. I'd be okay with that."

Rick smiled, his expression one of pure joy. All the sour vinegar scent had completely disappeared now. "Really?" he asked, sounding hopeful and young.

"Yeah," Daryl replied, biting his lip and rubbing the back of his neck.

" _Thank you_ , Daryl," Rick said. "I'm seriously…you have no idea how much that means to me."

"Yeah, well, just don't make me regret it."

"I won't."

Daryl smiled, the pink in his cheeks darkening at the happiness and affection on Rick's face. He cleared his throat and looked away, still rubbing the back of his neck. "I washed your sheets," he said, and Rick cocked his head to one side again.

"Thank you," Rick said. Then he hesitated, looking down at his food. "I think you should sleep in your nest tonight."

Daryl frowned, but didn't ask why. Maybe it was something Rick could smell on him, maybe Rick was all-too-aware of what being around an angry Alpha did to Daryl. "Okay," he said slowly. He pushed himself to his feet.

"We can play, if you want," Rick said.

Daryl didn't understand. Rick was offering to play with him, but he didn't want Daryl sleeping in his bed? Or maybe he was just offering to play the same way he did everything else; doing his best to accommodate Daryl at his own expense.

The thought left a bitter taste in Daryl's mouth. "It's okay," he said, and cleared his throat. "I'll see you in the morning."

"Goodnight, Daryl," Rick murmured to his retreating back.

Daryl went to his nest and closed the door behind him, his mind in even more of a whirl than it had been while Rick was at work. He felt oddly exposed, like he had shown part of himself to Rick and been…rejected? Did it even count when they weren't really together?

"Sack up," he muttered to himself, shedding his clothes and pulling on a pair of sweatpants. He climbed into the nest and sighed, burying his face in the hoodie he'd picked when first coming to Rick's house. It still smelled vaguely of Rick and Daryl bit his lip to stop the whine escaping.

Maybe Rick was just tired. He had worked a long shift today, and after his perp had gotten away maybe he just didn't feel like playing or mounting Daryl. That was understandable. Sometimes people just weren't in the mood.

He closed his eyes and tried to sleep.

 

 

Daryl woke and knew it wasn't morning yet. There was no daylight peeking in between the drawn curtains in the room. He muttered a curse to himself and rolled over, only to freeze when he heard a loud, low whine.

It was Rick – of course it was Rick, it couldn't be anyone else. He sounded like he was in pain. Daryl shoved himself to his feet quickly, pulling the hoodie on, and left the nest. All the doors were open as usual, which meant he could clearly hear the sounds Rick was making from his bedroom.

The hallway was dark but there was a light on in Rick's room. Daryl crept closer and gently pressed on the door so that it swung open fully. Rick was in his bed, stone-still but trembling. His hair was slick with sweat and plastered to his face and neck.

"Rick?" Daryl hazarded.

Rick jerked upright with a gasp, his eyes flashing red. He didn't see Daryl, or at least didn't acknowledge him. He scrambled from his bed and into his bathroom and Daryl winced when he heard the sounds of retching. He bit his lip and debated going back to his nest, but something in his chest tugged at him, urging him forward and into the room.

He closed the door behind him as he heard the toilet flushing, and then the sounds of water running as Rick brushed his teeth and washed his mouth out. "Rick?" he called again, and the water stopped.

"Daryl," Rick gasped, sounding weak. "It's okay. Go back to sleep."

Daryl bit his lower lip and walked over to the bed. There was a dark stain where Rick had been laying, the sour scent of fear-sweat soaking the air. He went over the window and opened it just a little to let the fresh, cool air waft in.

Rick appeared in the doorway to the bathroom. He was fully clothed in the same outfit he'd changed into when coming home. There were stains under his arms and around his neck from sweat. Daryl eyed him for a moment, wary and unsure. Rick seemed like he was trying to appear calm, but his hands were shaking and clenching into fists by his sides, his eyes were wild.

Daryl let out a slow breath, and came over and sat on Rick's bed. Rick sighed, closing his eyes, and rubbed his hands over his face and through his hair. He sat down next to Daryl on the bed and Daryl immediately lifted a hand to pet through his hair, pushing it back from his face.

They sat in silence for a while, until Rick's breathing stopped being so unsteady. "I still have dreams about my daddy, sometimes," Daryl said after a moment. "He died when I was a teenager, but sometimes I dream about him comin' back, right as rain."

Rick nodded. There were dark circles under his eyes and he looked pale and sick. "I…years ago, when I was still married, I got shot," he said, opening his eyes and looking at Daryl. His gaze was ducked, submitting to Daryl's gentle touch. "Wasn't like, planned or anythin'. These guys had been flagged and Shane and I led a roadblock. We shot the car off the road. Thought we got 'em all, but one of 'em was still conscious and he got out of the car and just started shooting."

He turned his head away and Daryl dropped his hand. He hadn't seen any scarring on Rick, but he honestly hadn't thought to look. Rick had always been sure Daryl was too dopey and out of his mind with need to really notice things like scars on the Alpha.

"I still remember it," Rick said, putting a hand to his side where the bullet had grazed. "The… _heat_. The pain. I was the only one who got hit and I remember Shane kneeling over me, telling me to just stay awake and I couldn't. I was in a coma for four months."

Daryl's eyes widened.

"They say you ain't supposed to dream in a coma, not supposed to really…be aware of anythin'. But I dreamed. Every day I dreamed about dyin'. And I would get _so close_. I could feel it, takin' over me. I never made it to the final part. But sometimes I still dream about it." His eyes flashed to Daryl, briefly, then away. "I can feel when I'm gonna have a dream like that. It's why I wanted you to stay away. Didn't want you to see me…like this."

Daryl bit his lip, unsure of what he should even say. How does someone react to a story like that? "I'm glad you told me," he said, brushing his hand through Rick's hair again. Rick closed his eyes and let out a weak purr. "We all have our shit."

"I think it changed me," Rick murmured. "Before I was…you said I was good at preparin'. For a long time I had control issues. I felt helpless, like nothing was under my control and it strained a lot of my relationships. Then with the divorce and everything else…" He sighed and shook his head. "Some of the shifts I told you about aren't really shifts. They're therapy sessions, too. I go about twice a week."

Daryl nodded. Rick was trusting him with so much information. Here, in his room, it was quiet and dark and so intimate that Daryl felt his chest was getting too tight to breathe. He let go of Rick's hair and gently squeezed the Alpha's fingers instead. "I didn't know that Alpha," he said after a moment. "The one that got shot. I didn't know him. I know you _now_ , and I like who you are now. This…" He gestured to the bed, to the stain of sweat lingering there. "Doesn't change that."

"I don't want to…" Rick bit his lower lip and looked down at where their hands were linked. He squeezed Daryl's fingers lightly.

Daryl let out a soft, encouraging sound. "Talk to me," he said. "You always look like you wanna say something and then you stop yourself."

Rick sighed. "You said, when this is over, I deserved to have someone who appreciated me," he said, and Daryl nodded. "Sometimes I think that person doesn't exist. I get too in my own head. Lori always said that – she said I don't express my emotions enough, I keep everything bottled up."

"I don't feel like you do that," Daryl replied.

Rick huffed a bitter laugh, and shook his head.

"You can tell me," Daryl said. "Trust and openness, right?"

"Right," Rick replied, and shook his head again. He sighed and rubbed his free hand through his hair. "But it's late. We're both tired. Will you help me flip the mattress?"

"Sure." They both stood and pulled the sheets off and turned the mattress over. There were several dark, yellowy stains from Rick's previous nightmares, but they were dry. Daryl wondered how often he'd had to do this.

Rick pulled a clean set of sheets from the closet in the bathroom and Daryl helped him make the bed. He looked to the door and bit his lip. "Do you want me to leave again?"

Rick pressed his lips together, fingers curling. "No," he replied, softly like he thought Daryl might refuse him anyway.

Daryl nodded and they both climbed into bed. Daryl crawled on top of Rick, sitting on his thighs, and cradled his face in both hands so Rick couldn't look away.

"Rick," he said, and the Alpha was looking at him like Daryl hung the moon in the sky, like his only lifeline was Daryl's hands on his skin and his weight on Rick's legs. Daryl leaned down and kissed him, tasting mint on Rick's tongue.

It wasn't play, they weren't playing, but that wasn't what it was about. _Reassurance_ , that's what Rick had said. "You make me feel safe," Daryl murmured, smiling when Rick's breath hitched and he let out a plaintive whine, hands splaying out on Daryl's thighs. "I trust you. I trusted you with my body, I trust you with my Heat. And I trust you with my kid." He kissed Rick again. " _Our_ kid."

"Daryl," Rick whispered, desperately.

"This doesn't make you _weak_ ," Daryl continued, nuzzling Rick's jaw. He pulled his hands away and stroked the Alpha's sweaty hair away from his face, one hand knotted loosely in the thick curls at the base of Rick's neck, the other gently touching Rick's chest. He could feel Rick's heart hammering against the back of his ribs.

Rick purred softly, the sound muffled against Daryl's mouth when Daryl kissed him. "I know you're not gonna hurt me," Daryl said, and Rick nodded, frantic and gasping. Daryl could feel Rick hardening between his legs, reacting to the play talk and the weight of the Omega above him. He rolled his hips until he felt Rick's cock rubbing against him and Rick moaned weakly, holding onto Daryl's hips tightly, nails digging in through his clothes. "I know you're not gonna do anything bad to me. 'Cause you're a good Alpha. Best damn Alpha I've ever met."

Daryl moved his hand from Rick's chest to his sweatpants, pushing them down to expose his hole, and then reared up so he could reach Rick's clothes and push them down his thighs. He wasn't leaking slick like he was before, but he could still feel the wetness of Rick's come and when Rick's cockhead brushed against his sore rim, he could feel some slick there. He rolled his hips and gasped, biting his lower lip when Rick's cockhead caught on his rim and started to press inside.

Rick's eyes went wide and he grabbed Daryl's flanks. "You don't have to -."

"I know," Daryl said, smiling and leaning down to kiss Rick. The action made Rick sink deeper inside of him and he moaned softly, eyes falling closed at the feeling of the Alpha filling him up. He was sore, not stretched enough for it to be comfortable, but he was slick and ready and he took Rick as gracefully as he could, until his thighs rested against Rick's hips. "Wanna make you feel good, Alpha."

" _Fuck_ ," Rick hissed, his hands splaying out and helping Daryl move on top of him. Daryl moaned again, breathing hard, and kissed Rick desperately, tugging at his hair. Rick moaned against his mouth, tilting his head to one side to deepen the kiss as Daryl started a rhythm on top of him, slow but even rocks of his hips forcing Rick deeper into him and then back out.

"I wanna keep playin' with you," Daryl confessed, shivering at the needy growl Rick let out. "I don't want to ever stop doing this."

And he wasn't sure what he meant by _this_. He wanted Rick inside of him all the time, both of their bodies moving fluidly together, crashing against each other like rockslides and meteors. He wanted Rick's hand on his neck, teeth at his nape, his knot splitting Daryl open and breeding him over and over.

Rick was purring loudly, his body shaking finely under Daryl as he moved. "Daryl," he gasped, the name like he was crying out for God. Daryl whined and bit down gently on Rick's lower lip, earning a rough, needy sound from the Alpha.

"Maybe I'll let you bite me, one day," Daryl whispered, and tried to convince himself it was still just play talk. Rick's eyes went wide, glowing red, and Daryl knew he was showing his gold in response. All of his partners had commented on how pretty his gold was – it was darker than most Omegas, almost bronze. "Just to see what it's like, let you fight me and mount me and put your teeth in my neck like Alphas are supposed to."

Rick snarled, baring his fangs as though showing off what that would mean. Daryl shivered, biting his lower lip, and leaned down to kiss Rick again.

"You're the only Alpha I've let touch me like this," he said. He knew Rick knew that, Rick had been sure to be careful and gentle with Daryl his first time, but he also knew Alphas liked the reminder. Omega virginity was a prize that, in the old days, Alphas would kill for. Rick's eyes flashed, pleased on some base level they were both too evolved to want, and he snarled at Daryl again. "Only Alpha that's played with me, made me come, that I've let knot me."

Rick whined, sliding his hands from Daryl's flanks, down to his hips. "Can we roll over?" he asked, the words little more than a growl, and Daryl nodded, gasping when Rick surged up and planted Daryl on his back. It made him pull out but then his hands were on the backs of Daryl's thighs, fisted tight in the material of his sweatpants, and he shoved himself back inside.

" _Fuck_ , Rick!" Daryl moaned, reaching down to stroke his cock tightly as the Alpha fucked into him with force, like Daryl had been taking Rick all his life. The saddle of his sweatpants pressed against Rick's chest, forcing him to fold in half when Rick leaned over him and kissed him harshly. Daryl whined, his free hand tugging on Rick's hair, urging him deeper and harder until he felt Rick's thrusts in his throat.

"Come in me, Alpha," he demanded. Rick's breathing was getting shaky, his hands tightening on Daryl's tender flesh. "Please. Wanna feel it, wanna feel you claim me. Ain't ever gonna let another Alpha do it, just -."

That was, apparently, enough for Rick. Rick slammed deeply into him and went still, snarling loudly in the quiet room, and Daryl's eyelids fluttered as he felt Rick's knot swell up and lock them together. He stroked his cock quickly, whining when it meant he started to bear down around the huge knot inside of him. Rick growled, rutting against him to tease the sensitive spot inside and tug on Daryl's rim, and Daryl came with a plaintive whine, turning his head away and baring his throat when Rick leaned down and licked up the sweat on his neck.

Then Rick went lax, and tugged Daryl's sweatpants off one leg so Daryl could comfortably wrap his legs around Rick's waist. Rick plastered himself over Daryl, an instinctive need in him to cover the Omega and shield him from any potential threats.

He kissed Daryl again, and then let out a shaky laugh. "Damn, you're a quick learner," he said. Daryl hummed in question. "With the play talk."

Daryl grinned, blushing, and let Rick kiss him, and tried not to think about how little of it was play talk at all.


	4. Chapter 4

"What's play fighting like?"

Daryl raised an eyebrow and looked at Glenn over the back of his computer. They were back in the apartment, Daryl had felt the need to get out of the house and refamiliarize himself with his old place. The scent of Maggie everywhere was jarring, although Daryl liked her scent well enough. It just didn't smell like _him_ anymore. Even his room, which had remained untouched and unopened, had lost a lot of his scent.

This wasn't his home anymore. Or it didn't feel like it was.

"You and Maggie play," Daryl replied, uncertain. "Don't you?"

Glenn shook his head. "She's not into that," he replied. "I never cared, really. But I've always been curious. Never played or play fought before."

Daryl cocked his head to one side, unsure how to describe something as intense as playing with Rick to Glenn. "It's like…" He cleared his throat. "Imagine you've been outside all day. Like, sunrise in summer to dead nightfall. And you hurt. You've been doin' yardwork or some other kinda manual labor and your whole body ain't even hungry. You past the point of tired."

Glenn frowned, and nodded.

"And then imagine someone touching you and that all going away. You feel…fuck, you feel new. Like nothin' can hurt ya."

Glenn hummed, taking a drink from his beer. Daryl regarded him for a moment. "You don't have to be mated to someone to play with them," he said after a while, clearing his throat when Glenn looked at him. "Packmates do it. Even Alphas, I've heard. It doesn't have to be a sexual thing."

"I didn't know that," Glenn replied. "Maybe that's why Maggie's so freaked out by the idea. She thinks I'll go feral and hurt her or something." Glenn's expression twisted and he looked away. "I'd never hurt her."

Daryl's chest went tight for a second. The tone of Glenn's voice was the same as when Rick declared the same thing. Maybe it was an Alpha thing. After all, Glenn and Maggie were in love, and Rick and Daryl were…

…Not.

"I know you wouldn't," Daryl said. "Maybe that's 'cause you ain't attracted to Omegas. No desire to bite people."

Glenn smirked. "And Rick does?"

"He had to use a sheet one time," Daryl said, "so he could bite somethin' other than me. 'Cause I told him I didn't want him to bite me."

Glenn regarded him for a second, before he smiled. "I'm really glad he seems to be workin' out," he said kindly, before taking another drink. Daryl's eyes narrowed. Glenn only got like that when he was holding himself back from saying something else.

"What?" he muttered.

Glenn shrugged. "What made you wanna come over? I could have brought the laptop to you."

Daryl bit his lower lip and looked down at the laptop. He hadn't even needed to do anything on it. His work wasn't sending him emails about future jobs, he wasn't even on social media. He had basically been looking at Vine compilations for the last twenty minutes.

Of all the men in Daryl's life, Glenn was by far the one he was closest to, the one Daryl knew he could trust with anything. Glenn might give him shit for it, but he was a good man and a good friend, and the best pack Alpha Daryl could hope to ask for. Daryl didn't have a problem being honest with Glenn; in fact, Glenn might be the one person he could explain everything to who might actually be able to give him decent advice.

"I don't like being alone there," Daryl said, giving up on pretending to use the laptop and shutting it. He ran his hands through his hair. "When he's not there, I get…distracted. I rearranged his entire kitchen the other day, and I smell myself more there than I do here and I just…"

Glenn blinked at him. "Do you need to move back here?" he asked.

Daryl bit back a whine. "I don't want to," he confessed, and saying it out loud felt like a giant weight had slammed down onto his shoulders. "I don't want to leave. I keep havin' thoughts, like…like keepin' him around to play with, and feed me, and maybe even keep fuckin' me while I'm pregnant. And I just feel like I'm losin' control of the situation and why the fuck not, right? I mean, he's pretty much everything I want in an Alpha, and he's pretty as Hell and so attentive and every time I touch him I feel like my head gets all hot and -."

"Woah, woah, slow the everloving fuck down," Glenn said, holding up his hands and sitting straight in his chair. Daryl blew out a breath, swallowing back the rest of his sentence. He was breathing hard, hands gripping the edge of the table tightly, as he looked at Glenn and tried to calm himself down.

"Daryl, what the fuck?" Glenn asked, leaning forward and taking one of Daryl's hands. "I thought you said you didn't want a relationship outta the guy. Just a kid." Daryl bit his lip and nodded. "So what's changed?"

"I don't know," Daryl whispered. "I don't…maybe it's just 'cause he's the only Alpha I've had sex with, maybe it's just hormones or somethin', but…I like him. I really, really like him."

"'Like', as in…?"

"As in I said he could bite me, one day. And I want him to. I think…I'd be okay with it. One day."

Glenn's eyes widened and he pulled back, lips parted in shock. "It's been crazy," Daryl continued, like he was unable to stop. "Even when he was mad, I didn't get…he's not like anyone I've ever met. And that scares the shit outta me."

Glenn pressed his lips together, sitting back in his chair. "You remember how Maggie and I met?"

Daryl scoffed. "Yeah. You ditched my ass in a Steak 'n' Shake 'cause you smelled her and left me there for like three hours."

"Well, I knew as soon as I smelled her, as soon as I saw her, that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her." Glenn shrugged. "Instincts are powerful things, even in women. It's like she saw me and felt the same thing, like she was any Alpha or Omega. Sometimes shit like this just works."

Daryl whined. It wasn't the answer he wanted to hear – and yet, he desperately did as well. "He talks to me like you talk about her," Daryl said. "But what if he doesn't…I can't think about it until I know he'd want it too. But I don't."

Glenn smirked. "Want me to come over and scope it out?" he asked.

Daryl shook his head. "Rick says I should be going into Heat soon," he replied, standing. "I should get back."

"Need a ride?" Glenn asked. "Omegas close to Heat shouldn't be alone. I can pick you up later to get your bike."

Daryl hesitated. He didn't feel any different, but Rick had already commented that his smell was changing. Maybe Glenn could sense it too. He knew how Alphas could be, if they smelled an Omega in Heat. It was primal, chemical, turned them into little better than animals. They'd chase and kill for that Omega, if he was just out in the open.

"Sure," he finally said. Who knew how fast it would hit him, when it did? He couldn't afford to be driving when it finally hit him.

He let Glenn drive him home and went into Rick's house, locking all of the doors and windows he could find. He did feel antsy, but he wasn't sure if that was just because he was psyching himself out, imagining symptoms that weren't there, or if it was the reminder of Alphas when he was younger that had scared him.

Rick would be with him during his Heat. Rick had tasted and smelled his slick, but Daryl knew Heat was different. Rick might smell it and lose his mind. He might go all red and hurt Daryl, and bite him. He'd said he had control issues, maybe all that therapy and careful attention would fly out of the window as soon as Daryl was mounted.

He shook the thoughts away as best he could. Rick wasn't _like_ that.

Daryl shivered and pulled his hoodie off, sweat prickling at his skin. The house was usually kept cool but he felt unbearably warm, shaking and starting to breathe hard. He pressed his hands against the back of Rick's couch and clenched them tightly when a tremor ran down his spine, threatening to send him to his knees.

"Oh my _God_ ," he growled, and bent down until he could smell Rick on the couch. It was where he normally rested his head and Daryl could smell his shampoo, pressed against the damp spot where Rick had sat while Daryl straddled his thighs and kissed him. He remembered it so clearly, like it had just happened. They'd had time before Rick went to work and the thought of Rick being gone had driven Daryl to distraction. He wanted his scent on Rick, wanted the Alpha to stink of his slick and have everyone who smelled him know that he had an Omega waiting back home, for him to mount and fuck at his leisure.

Another shudder ran down Daryl's spine and he felt himself start to get slick, felt it leak out of his body as it twitched as though in readiness. His head felt fuzzy and he groaned, sinking to his knees. He ran a hand across the back of his neck and squeezed there, whimpering because it was almost like an Alpha was there. With Rick's scent in his lungs he could pretend, but it wasn't enough.

"Fuck," he growled. He had to call Rick. This was a long shift, more than twelve hours, and already Daryl felt like he would die if he didn't get his Alpha. Rick would make everything better.

He collapsed to the floor and onto his side, digging into his jeans pocket to grab his phone. He pulled up Rick's number and called it. The Alpha answered on the fourth ring. "Daryl?"

" _Rick_ ," Daryl groaned, dropping the phone and pressing his forehead against the cool floor. He let out a pathetic whine and pulled at his shirt, desperate to feel more of the cool laminate against his skin. "Alpha, fuck."

Rick hesitated only a moment before Daryl heard his low growl. "Are the doors locked?"

Daryl whimpered and nodded. "Yes," he gasped.

"Good. I'll be home as soon as I get someone to cover for me. I'll be there soon, sweetheart."

"Hurry," Daryl moaned, but the line was already dead. He shoved the phone away so it wouldn't get stepped on, and forced himself onto his hands and knees. Another tremor hit him and he paused, breathing hard. He was starting to sweat in earnest now, it felt like his body was holding a fire in his chest. He yanked his shirt all the way off and threw it to one side, then shoved himself to his feet as soon as the tremor went away.

He ran up the stairs as fast as he could and flung himself against the door to the nest. He pawed at the handle until it gave and fell into the room, whimpering when the warm air hit his bare skin. He kicked at the door until it shut and then clawed at the rest of his clothing, desperate to get it off.

His hand found his cock and he stroked himself quickly, snarling as another shudder racked his spine and he writhed on the floor. This was too much, he couldn't even think past the driving need to touch himself and to come.

He crawled into the nest and collapsed, rutting his cock into his hand and his whole body shuddered with the softness of the blankets and clothes in the bed. He fucked into it, growling at the heat, and came with a loud howl that he buried in his fist.

"Fuck, shit, oh _God_ ," he gasped, and reared up blindly to reach for his vibrator. He rolled onto his back and spread his legs, working it inside of him. It went easily, his body was slick and hot and so ready and when Daryl turned it on, he arched up from the nest with another loud gasp. He touched his cock with his other hand, already hard again, and whimpered at each twitch and shiver he pulled from his body as he pressed the head of the vibrator against his prostate.

He rubbed it in light circles, eyelids fluttering closed at the pressure it put on his rim, stretching him out for something bigger. It wasn't _enough_ – he wanted _Rick_. He wanted the Alpha's hand on his throat and teeth at his neck and his knot, he wanted Rick to fuck him, to breed him, to -.

"Fuck!" He came hard, whimpering when the vibrator kept touching his prostate, pulling aftershock after shivery aftershock from him. His hands were dirty and shaking when he pulled it out, unable to get up the motor control to turn it off for well over a minute.

It was like being high – Daryl was sluggish, his head fuzzy, and that ever-present _need_. Already his body was gearing up for the next round, he could feel it, and he whimpered and grabbed the vibrator, rolling onto his stomach again as he shoved it back in, just to feel it stretching him wide.

This was too much. This was really dangerous. The way Daryl was feeling now, he couldn't be in control and keep Rick from going too far. And if Rick smelled him and lost his politeness and his control, Daryl wouldn't have the mind to stop him. This was more intense than play, more urgent, and Daryl felt the first prickles of anxiety following his third orgasm as he fucked into the blankets in his nest and came with a loud whimper.

Daryl lost track of how long he did that, riding the toy and the high until it felt like he would never come down. He couldn't count how many times he'd come – his chest was a mess of his come, his thighs slick to his knees from the wetness his body was producing. He was thirsty and tired and sore but he couldn't make himself stop.

He froze when he heard a growl from outside the door. He turned the vibrator off and gasped, sitting up and sliding the toy out of him. "Rick?" he whispered, and his heart leapt when he heard the answering growl from the other side of the door.

"Daryl," Rick replied, voice hoarse. Daryl could hear him scenting the air – huge, ragged breaths in and out. "Are you okay?"

"Don't come in," Daryl begged. He couldn't…couldn't control himself. And he needed to know how Rick was feeling, if he was half-feral and riled up on the scent of Daryl's slick or if he was still the same calm, devoted Alpha that Daryl had come to know. "Don't, please, I -. _God,_ it's too much."

He pushed himself up against one of the blanket walls, reaching for his hole with one hand and shoving three fingers inside. He couldn't get deep enough or touch the right spots but it was something.

"Daryl," Rick said again. "I don't want you to get hurt. First Heats are intense. I won't force you to open the door, but I want you to know that I'm here. I'm going to help you."

Daryl knew that. He knew this was the whole point of the entire exercise. He knew Rick was going to take care of him – or at least that Rick wanted to. But the words he was saying were just words. Daryl couldn't afford to be wrong about the actions.

"If you want this, go to my bedroom," Rick said, his voice carrying over. "I won't touch you unless you go there. I promise."

Daryl gasped, shuddering as he came again, spilling over his thighs. Rick's footsteps back down the hall were swallowed by the rushing in his ears. It felt like he might actually have a heart attack, it was beating so fast and so hard against the backs of his ribs. His Alpha was _leaving him_ and Daryl had to – he had to give chase.

But Daryl had wanted him to go. He _did_. Didn't he?

God, he couldn't think.

He pushed himself upright and grabbed a pair of sweatpants from the nest, pulling them on. They stuck to his legs and the come on his stomach and chest dripped down to start a dark stain on the waistband, but Daryl didn't care. He was thirsty, and if Rick meant what he said there was no better way to test it.

Rick was in the kitchen, pulling out servings of food from the fridge and putting them in a cooler. He froze when Daryl entered. His eyes were a bright red, more like blood than red wine now. He clenched his jaw and ground his teeth together, head rolling to one side, but didn't lunge for Daryl.

"I'm thirsty," Daryl rasped, and his body shook as he felt another hot shot of arousal race down his spine. He grabbed the counter for balance and Rick went tense like he wanted to help Daryl remain upright but forced himself not to.

"Let me get you some water," Rick said, his eyes raking down Daryl's ruined body with obvious desire. Daryl bit his lip and bared his neck, unable to fight the instinct to do it, and Rick let out a low growl.

He jerked his gaze away like it had been physically pulled, and grabbed a glass of water and filled it from the sink. Not too cold, not so that it would shock Daryl's stomach. He set it on the counter and slid it over.

Daryl whined, hardly able to lift his head. "I can't hold it," he said. He went tense and moaned when his body jerked, more slick leaking out of him. Only now it was worse because Daryl could _smell_ Rick, and see him, and he was _right there_ and maybe he'd mount Daryl over the counter, or the table, or just throw him down on the floor and -.

"Here," Rick said, and Daryl lifted his head. Rick was offering him the glass, tilted towards Daryl's mouth. "Open," Rick said, and Daryl obeyed, allowing Rick to pour a little onto his tongue. Daryl swallowed and gasped, and let Rick do it again.

Daryl reached out and weakly grabbed Rick's wrist. Rick went tense, eyes flashing and going wide. "I'm scared," Daryl whispered, clenching his eyes shut with a sharp cry as his Heat-ridden body surged with need again. "God, this…this is too much. Rick, I don't know what -." He gasped, moaning quietly, his hand tightening on Rick's wrist until his knuckles went white.

"Can I touch you?" Rick whispered, and Daryl nodded frantically. Rick set the glass down and took Daryl's chin in hand, fingers spreading out down his jaw and neck. Daryl's come coated his throat and Rick took a deep breath in. "Do you want me to mount you?"

Daryl swallowed. "Yes," he said. "But I'm scared."

Rick pressed his lips together and then kissed Daryl's forehead. He moved his other hand to wrap around the back of Daryl's head and Daryl let his wrist go, pressing it flat against the kitchen counter as his knees shook, threatening to give.

"Why are you scared?"

"You could hurt me," Daryl said. Rick let out a quiet growl. "I know you wouldn't, but Heat ain't – we ain't thinkin' straight right now. Or I ain't."

He could smell Rick so strongly now; the molasses sweetness so thick Daryl could hardly breathe through it. Rick's scent was strong, sharpening with his arousal and turning almost minty. He whimpered and shoved his forehead against Rick's mouth, nuzzling his neck and forcing another kiss.

"How about this," Rick said, petting gently through Daryl's hair but careful to avoid his nape. "We go upstairs to my room, and I'll let you do whatever you want. I'll stay where you tell me, move when you say, won't do anythin' you don't ask me to do."

Daryl whimpered. "I might ask you to bite me."

"Do you want me to bite you?" Rick asked.

Daryl bit his lip and shook his head.

"Then I won't." Rick pulled back and cupped Daryl's face with both hands, resting their foreheads together. "I won't," he said again, wiping his thumbs across Daryl's red cheeks.

"Please, Rick," Daryl whispered. "I feel like I'm losin' it."

"If you come upstairs with me, I can make it better," Rick said, the red in his eyes flickering as Daryl watched. It was like staring into fire, almost hypnotic. Daryl didn't want to move, as long as Rick kept looking at him like that; like he'd hung the moon.

Daryl was starting to shake, he could feel his slick sticking the backs of his sweatpants to his legs and he was hot all over, feverish and weak. "Mm, _fuck_ ," Daryl growled, clenching his fists and lifting his eyes to meet Rick's. "Put a fuckin' baby in me."

Rick gasped and lunged for Daryl, kissing him fiercely like he couldn't resist for another second. Daryl whined, fisting his hands in Rick's shirt as he felt his back hit the wall, the cool surface felt amazing against his bare back. One of Rick's hands stayed in his hair, knotting tightly, the other flattened over Daryl's hip. Daryl shivered when Rick's thumb slid down the line of muscle that made a soft 'V', it felt like Rick was touching all the way through him, spearing him where he stood.

Abruptly Rick spun him again and Daryl growled, shoulders tense where he felt Rick plaster up against his back. Rick's hands spread out down Daryl's back, petting him gently, but his teeth were at Daryl's nape and Daryl could feel them and he wanted it – _God_ , he wanted it – but he didn't want it all at the same time.

Rick licked over the arch of his neck, nuzzled his nape. "You wanna come upstairs with me?"

Daryl nodded, whimpering with need. He didn't like this feeling, he felt like he wasn't even in control of his heartbeat or breathing. Everything was operating on a level their kind had evolved past. There was nothing but heat, and sweat, and the scent of this Alpha in his prime who could breed him and knot him and give him what he needed.

Rick pulled away from him and shouldered the strap of the cooler, before he took Daryl by the wrists and gently coaxed him up the stairs. It was slow going. Daryl could barely stand without Rick helping him, and every time he took a step it felt like his body answered with a fresh wave of that raw need. Like his body was fighting everything he did that wasn't going to his hands and knees to be mounted.

He finally lost the fight when he crossed the threshold to Rick's bedroom. The scent of the Alpha was thick on his tongue, filling his lungs, and he curled up on his hands and knees and breathed in deeply. The carpet smelled vaguely lemony, freshly vacuumed though Daryl had no idea when Rick would have done that recently.

Rick set the cooler down and approached Daryl. He knelt down at Daryl's side and Daryl whined, turning his face into Rick's hands when the Alpha gently cupped his chin and throat and forced him upright. Rick kissed him and it felt like everything was on fire. Daryl had no idea how Omegas _stood_ this.

He collapsed against Rick's chest, breathing his scent in deeply, and let out another pained-sounding moan. "Alpha," he growled, clawing at Rick's clothing. "I – I need you. _Please_."

And then he fell to his hands again and reached back with a desperate snarl, yanking down his sweatpants and sinking two fingers into his slick hole. Rick let out an audible, low growl, and crawled around until he was kneeling behind Daryl.

"I'm here, sweetheart," he said, voice little more than a rumble, and Daryl flinched as though he'd been hit when Rick's hands spread out across his hips. "You remember the best way to hold yourself when I mount you?"

Daryl whimpered, pulling his knees a little bit more together so that his ass was raised, bowing his back so his chest rubbed against the carpet and he braced his hands on either side of his head, nails digging into the carpet.

Rick growled and pulled Daryl's sweatpants farther down his thighs, fingers sliding through the slick coating Daryl's skin. Rick's touch was like the promise of cold water – a deafening roar of need in Daryl's parched throat and dry mouth but still just a promise. It wasn't _enough_.

"Rick, _please_ ," Daryl moaned, turning his head so he could see the Alpha. Rick's eyes were burning red, his breathing heavy as though he was trying to drown in Daryl's scent. "Please, fuck me. Want your knot, need you to -."

He went silent, stifling a quiet growl when he felt the knife-edge of need overtake his body again. He was leaking slick and Rick breathed in deeply, leaning down, and kissed over Daryl's sweaty spine.

"Gonna mount you, sweetheart," he promised, and then his hands moved away and Daryl howled, desperately clawing at the carpet, needing Rick _back_ – and then the Alpha's hands were there and Daryl felt Rick's cockhead pushing at his hole, gently breaking him apart.

He came as soon as Rick was all the way inside of him, clenching down and arching his body up against Rick's hands with a broken howl. Rick felt huge inside of him, throbbing and hot and Daryl needed it, _fuck,_ he needed it. He couldn't think of a single drug, a thrill, anything that would feel as good as his Alpha fucking him through his Heat.

Rick went still, trying to wait out Daryl's orgasm, and Daryl cried out again, reaching back and clawing desperately at Rick's side. "Fuck me," he growled, fisting his hand in Rick's shirt. Rick was still almost fully clothed, he'd only gotten bare enough to give Daryl what he wanted. The scent of him was overwhelming, imprinted into his clothes, and Daryl needed, his chest was tight and heavy like he was carrying a stone in his ribs, his skin was so sensitive to every brush of air, every touch.

Rick growled and plastered himself over Daryl's body and Daryl moaned, clutching at Rick's arms as the Alpha wrapped a hand around his throat and buried his face in the back of Daryl's neck. He fucked forward viciously, pulling another few pathetic whimpers from Daryl's sore throat, and then he forced Daryl more onto his stomach, thighs straining with the weight, and put his free hand in Daryl's hair, forcing his head against the carpet.

The carpet burned, Daryl's cheek and knees ached, but he felt like if Rick didn't knot him soon he'd pass out or his heart would give up, whatever happened first. He curled a hand in Rick's hair and tugged, purring when the Alpha let out a low, wrecked growl against his neck. Rick had his teeth bared but wouldn't open his mouth. He was resisting the urge to bite with what felt like all his strength.

Rick slowed down, grinding his cock deep into Daryl's body. Daryl trembled, tensing up as Rick's cock rubbed over his sensitive spot, and he moaned brokenly and bit down on his own fist as he came again, spilling dry at this point but no less wrecked from the power of his orgasm.

Rick snarled and shoved his knees up, forcing Daryl to spread his legs a little more, and his hands went tight on Daryl's ass and spread him open.

"Look so fuckin' good takin' me, sweetheart," he rumbled. Daryl whined, unable to stop himself jerking and writhing whenever Rick shoved deep inside of him. It was too much, Rick felt too big and Daryl was as helpless as wreckage from a capsized ship washing onto shore. He was a slave to the tides, burning up on the inside and he needed, he needed _something_ -. "Fuck, gonna come, Daryl."

" _Yes_ ," Daryl moaned, holding his breath as Rick went abruptly still. Daryl was so slick and loose that he could keep moving as his knot swelled, and he let it tug on Daryl's rim, teasing him with the pressure there, before he sank all the way inside and finally went still. Daryl knew the second Rick started to come – the Alpha growled and rested his forehead against Daryl's sweaty back, his cock twitched and he started to purr.

But more than that, Daryl felt like he was cooling down. With each thick spurt inside of him, he felt his body calming, his mind clearing of the ragged, desperate feeling of Heat. He sucked in a harsh breath and let it out as a whimper, curling up on himself.

Rick blew out a harsh breath, sliding his hands up to rub down Daryl's arms. He wrapped his fingers around Daryl's wrists and Daryl couldn't hold back the sob that was gathering in his chest.

"It's too much," he said, clenching his eyes tightly shut and shaking his head. "I can't – I can't do this." Already he felt too hot, like he'd have to shed his skin to finally feel cool again. Rick's heat felt oppressive, no longer a balm but something Daryl wanted to flee from. "Please. Make it stop."

"I'm here," Rick said, nuzzling the back of Daryl's sweaty hair. Daryl whimpered, shaking as another wave of arousal ran down his spine, chasing Rick's breathing and his hands cupping Daryl's hips. Daryl's ass clenched and he rocked back, moaning at the stretched feeling of his sore ass. Rick slid one hand down and wrapped it around Daryl's cock as he started to harden again and Daryl let out a breathless whine.

"Please, _no_ ," Daryl groaned, and he tried to get Rick to move his hand away but he couldn't get his arms to move. He was trapped, pinned under Rick, unable to move. "No, I can't – I can't -."

"You can, sweetheart, it's okay," Rick whispered, right into Daryl's ear and Daryl whined, clenching his eyes tightly shut. Rick put his other hand at Daryl's neck and squeezed, rocking his hips forward so that Daryl could feel him deep inside. "I'm right here, I'll take care'a ya. Gonna make sure you feel good, Daryl. Gonna mount you and breed you up, just like you want."

" _Fuck_ ," Daryl whined, and brought his fist up to bite down on his forearm as he went tense and tight and came in Rick's hard. There was nothing more for his body to give, he was coming dry at this point, but he knew Rick could feel it as Daryl's body spasmed and clenched around his cock and knot.

Rick pulled out when his knot when down and Daryl collapsed onto his stomach, breathing hard. He ran a dirty hand through his hair. It stank of his slick.

"God, I'm gonna fuckin' _die_ ," he moaned.

He heard Rick give a soft, short laugh, and then the Alpha was in front of him and pulling him up to his knees. Rick had shed his clothes so they were both naked and he had a water bottle with a straw sticking out of it and held it up at drinking level.

"Here," he said, and fed Daryl the straw, one hand on Daryl's nape to keep him lax. Daryl could barely keep his eyes open and he sucked the water down greedily, one hand lightly resting on Rick's around the cup, unable to grab it himself. "Easy, now. Slowly. There we go."

He pulled the straw away and Daryl let out a needy gasp. "Rick," he said, and reached out to touch the Alpha's chest. "Don't leave me."

"I'm right here," Rick said, cupping his face with both hands. Daryl growled and lunged for Rick, pinning him onto his back on the floor. Rick growled and pushed himself semi-upright, leaning against the base of the bed as Daryl straddled his thighs and pushed himself close to Rick's chest. Rick was hard again, either from the scent of Daryl in the room or just high off of his own reaction to the feeling of an Omega in Heat for him, Daryl couldn't say which. Maybe both. Maybe Rick liked the fact that he had triggered Daryl's Heat just as much as he liked everything else they'd done.

"No," Daryl said, and kissed Rick fiercely as he reached behind himself and found Rick's cock, angling it to press against his hole and then sinking down. He couldn't spare thought for going slow, for taking his time. His body needed some kind of release and now that he knew what would give him even a little bit of clarity, he needed it again. He needed Rick to knot him, and breed him, and come inside of him and all the other things he said he would do. "No, you don't – _fuck_."

Daryl dug his nails into Rick's shoulder, throwing his head back as Rick fucked up into him. Rick sank deep and it hit something in Daryl, something that was hard and ached when Rick's cock nudged against it. He collapsed against Rick's chest and trembled.

"Feel that?" Rick growled, wrapping one hand around Daryl's nape and pulling the Omega close so he could rasp the words in his ear; "That's what makes you Omega, sweetheart." He fucked up again and Daryl whimpered as he felt Rick's cock shove against that spot again. It ached, almost pain but not quite. It felt like Rick was fucking up into his stomach but he knew what it was – his cervix, his womb, whatever the fuck you wanted to call it. It was the part of an Omega's body that descended during a Heat, made them able to breed. It was the spot that wasn't there every other time of the year, it only opened and spread when an Omega was in Heat and able to conceive.

Daryl sobbed, working his hips over Rick desperately, trying to coax the Alpha to fuck up as deep as he could and spill inside. "Rick, _please_ ," he gasped, shoving his face against Rick's neck just to feel the Alpha's hand tighten at his nape. "Please. Come in me. Breed me."

Rick growled, starting to shake. "Tell me again," he commanded. "How I'm the only Alpha that'll -."

Not the past. The future too. "Fuck, you are," Daryl said, breathless and needy. Rick tightened his grip on Daryl's nape and _squeezed_ and Daryl moaned, and let Rick haul him back so that they could kiss. Rick's other hand kept tight on his hip, helping him move to coax Rick closer and closer to his knot. "Only Alpha I've let fuck me, only Alpha I'd trust with my Heat." He kissed Rick as the Alpha let out a plaintive, needy sound, and gently wrapped his fingers in Rick's sweaty hair. "Want you to breed me. I wanna keep breedin' for you, want a whole pack of kids with your eyes."

"Fuck, _fuck_ ," Rick snarled, baring his teeth, and his hands went unbearably tight on Daryl's body as he fucked up, _shoving_ against the hard jut of bone inside Daryl, and Daryl felt his knot come and lock them together and then Rick was coming, trembling as though he was the one in Heat. He was breathing hard, the red in his eyes shining like stained glass. Daryl kissed his slack mouth, growling softly when Rick moved a sluggish hand to Daryl's cock and started to stroke.

Rick moved his hand from Daryl's nape to his throat, forcing his head up so their eyes could lock. Rick purred, stomach sinking in with every fresh shot of come he dumped into Daryl's body, and pulled Daryl in by his neck to another kiss.

"Such a sweet thing," he rumbled, and Daryl shivered, biting his lower lip. Rick's voice was lower than he'd ever heard it, wrecked with desire and arousal. "You wanna come for me?"

Daryl whimpered, nodding, his forehead pressed against Rick's.

"Gonna give you an Alpha, sweetheart," Rick promised, tightening his hand on Daryl's cock and twisting at the head. Daryl hissed, jerking his hips forward harsh enough that it tugged on the knot, pulling twin groans from both of them. "If not this one, then the next one. I promise."

"God, Rick, I -." Daryl shivered, his orgasm sweeping over him like the tide, swift as nightfall in winter. Rick pulled his hand away and let go of Daryl's neck, pulling him close and settling into something a little more comfortable on the floor while they waited out Rick's knot.

Daryl wanted to tell himself it was just play talk – but he couldn't. Because he was a fucking liar. Rick was talking about breeding him, _multiple_ times, and maybe he was just feeding off of what Daryl had said but Daryl was crazy with Heat and Rick wasn't. Rick never said anything he didn't mean – that's what he'd told Daryl before. And Rick wasn't a liar. He had no reason to be.

Daryl shook in his arms, and closed his eyes to try and focus on the feeling of Rick filling him up. His body was reacting to the Alpha, soothed despite the ravenous fire of Heat still raging in his chest. He felt like he could _think_.

He rubbed his forehead against Rick's shoulder and huffed a quiet laugh. "I know I should have seen it comin'," he said. "But Heat is really fuckin' intense."

Rick hummed, brushing a gentle hand up and down Daryl's spine. "The first day is the worst, I've been told," he said. "It'll get better."

"Oh? And how many Heats have you fucked through?" Daryl asked, partly teasing. The other part of him desperately wanted to know – Rick had had a wife, Daryl assumed since he was old enough to know what sex was, which didn't leave a lot of time for girlfriends or Omegas beforehand. And it was stupid, and possessive, but he _needed_ to know if Rick had done this before. If any other Omegas had given him this before.

Rick sighed. "None," he replied. "Shane dated an Omega one time and when he went into Heat, both of us were pretty much exiled from his house until it was over. But the guy's father was an Omega too and explained it to us. We were…sixteen? I think?"

"Shane put a sixteen-year-old into Heat?" Daryl asked.

Rick nodded. "Play triggers it. They were just playing. Shane never told me if they slept together or not, but I would'a smelled it. His parents, too, they'd have known. Probably forced them to mate. But then they broke up." He paused for a moment. "I've been around Omegas in Heat during cases, sometimes. But they usually smell too much like fear."

"How noble."

"I didn't mean it like that."

"I know." Daryl raised his eyes and nuzzled Rick's jaw, kissing over his pulse.

Rick let out a quiet growl. "You smell so fuckin' good," he said, taking in a loud, deep breath. Daryl smiled. "I don't know what I'd do if you weren't mine."

Daryl paused, going tense. He wasn't sure what to make of that – after all, could he argue any differently? Here he was, in Rick's lap, maybe halfway to pregnant with the Alpha's child, and living in his home…was he _Rick's_?

Rick fell silent, and when he spoke again his voice was nervous. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it like that. I didn't – I know you're not -." He sounded like he was starting to panic and Daryl sat up, cupping Rick's face in his hands, and shut him up with a kiss.

"Relax," he murmured, kissing Rick again until the Alpha went quiet and still under him, until he managed to coax a weak purr from Rick's chest. The sound triggered something in Daryl's head like a whiplash, and he whimpered as Rick's knot abruptly went down and allowed them to separate. Daryl felt weak, unable to crawl off of Rick, and kissed the Alpha again like he could soak in Rick's strength and force himself to move.

"Mount me, Alpha," Daryl commanded breathlessly. Rick nodded, eyes wide, and hooked his arms around Daryl's waist so he could push himself upright and hold Daryl still, before he turned them and pushed Daryl onto his back on the bed. Daryl laughed, crawling up the bed as though trying to escape, and Rick growled and leapt for him, pinning him down.

Rick leaned down and licked Daryl's sweaty throat, snarling at the taste of the Heat-ripe Omega on his tongue. He pushed Daryl's thighs apart and sank back inside, earning a soft moan of pain from the Omega pinned beneath him. Daryl was sore, his thighs sensitive from his slick, his chest hurt and he ached but he couldn't make it stop. He didn't _want_ to stop.

"Fuck, feels like you were fuckin' _made_ for me, sweetheart," Rick growled, baring his teeth against Daryl's neck. And Daryl didn't doubt that for a second. Rick filled him up perfectly, even his knot was just the right kind of ache. His hands were big and hot and touched Daryl like he had a roadmap to every sensitive spot, every pleasure point, to make Daryl go weak and purr for him.

He reached down and wrapped a hand around his cock, the other buried tightly in Rick's sweaty hair. "M'gonna come," he growled, into Rick's ear, and felt Rick shudder and tense up above him. Rick fucked in more harshly, hitting Daryl's prostate and that other sensitive place almost every thrust. It was overwhelming and Daryl thanked Rick's foresight that he'd asked what Daryl wanted before this. Right now Daryl was willing to do just about anything to get Rick's knot again.

Daryl's orgasm dragged out of him slowly, lulled there by each one of Rick's powerful thrusts, and their moans and growls filling the air. The noise of slick bodies colliding together was deafening and Daryl felt like his whole body was on fire, desperately seeking the friction of Rick's body above him. The feeling of being split and broken apart for the Alpha, only to have his body greedily take him again and again when he was so spent was a testament to his need.

"Rick, _please_ ," he gasped, and Rick let out a pained-sounding moan. He reached blindly for a handful of sheets and shoved it between his mouth and Daryl's neck.

Daryl felt his bite, felt the pressure and the snarl Rick let into it. He arched up, tightening his hand on Rick's head and pulling him closer, as though if he bared enough of his neck and pulled hard enough Rick could be able to bite through the material and into him.

Rick slammed into him one more time, fighting the unbearably tight spasms of Daryl's ass as his knot grew and locked them together once more. Daryl collapsed against the bed, hauling Rick's head away from his mouth so he could kiss the Alpha.

Rick purred, letting his weight rest on Daryl as he cupped Daryl's face and kissed him deeply. They were both breathing heavily, gasping into each other's mouths as Rick made it deeper and more passionate, like he was trying to pull every shred of Daryl's Heat into his own body. Maybe he was – maybe there was something chemical in an Omega that gave Alphas the stamina to get them through their Heats. Maybe Rick needed it just as much as he did.

Rick pulled back, his eyes glowing a dull wine red, and he rested their foreheads together. "How you feelin'?" he asked, searching Daryl's face for something Daryl couldn't name.

He swallowed. "Like I've been steamrolled," he said, and Rick huffed a laugh that sounded almost guilty.

Daryl shifted his weight, knowing he couldn't move much until Rick's knot went down. How the Alpha was still able to get one up, Daryl would never guess. He leaned up for another kiss that Rick eagerly granted him.

"Do you think you can drink some more water? And eat?"

"Right now, yeah, but who knows how long that'll last."

Rick smiled, nuzzling Daryl and giving him another kiss. "I'll be here."

"I know," Daryl replied in a soft murmur, and tightened his fingers in Rick's hair.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, I said five chapters and I actually stuck to it! Who'd've thought? I hope you guys have enjoyed the ride :)

Daryl woke with a gasp, his entire body shaking as though he had spent the night locked in a freezer. He shuddered and let out a plaintive whine when he felt Rick's arm wrap around his stomach, pulling him back against the Alpha's chest.

He was shaking and sweaty and sore, his skin breaking out in goose bumps as he felt Rick growl and lick over the nape of his neck. "Please," Daryl whispered. He felt so fucking  _cold_ , and Rick was so warm against his back. He reached back and wrapped his hand around the back of Rick's thigh, arching back so that he could plaster himself as close to the Alpha as he could.

He felt like he was on some kind of drug. His chest ached from moaning, growling, whimpering, whatever he had to do to get his Alpha to mount him again. His thighs hurt from taking Rick's weight, his ass was sore and slick from being knotted over and over again but he couldn't stop. He had lost track of the time, stopped counting the amount of times Rick knotted him. He was thirsty and tired but he couldn't  _stop_.

"Rick,  _please_ ," he begged, closing his eyes and whining when Rick slid up against him. Rick pulled his arm away and pushed at Daryl's thigh, forcing him to roll a little more onto his stomach and spread his legs to make room for Rick.

One of Rick's fingers circled Daryl's sore, slick rim, and when the Alpha pushed inside Daryl went tense, gritting his teeth. It hurt, his whole body ached, but refused to be denied. He clenched up around Rick's finger as the Alpha curled it, brushing his finger against Daryl's prostate. Daryl growled, clenching his teeth, and let go of Rick's thigh so that he could flatten himself to his stomach and fist the ruined sheets tightly.

Rick rolled over him, pulling his finger out, and spread Daryl apart with both hands before he plastered himself over Daryl's back and started to push his cock in. They both let out weak moans at the action – Daryl knew Rick was sore, too, his cock and knot almost too sensitive to stand the way Daryl's body so desperately tightened up around him.

Rick sank all the way inside and let out a shuddering breath. He wrapped one hand in Daryl's hair and tugged so that Daryl bared his neck and Rick could lick over his sweaty skin. They both stank of each other, the air was heavy and stale with the scent of sweat, come, and Heat. Daryl didn't know how he would be able to ever get his lungs clear.

"Mm,  _fuck_ ," Daryl whispered, biting his lower lip and gasping when Rick started up a slow rhythm, like he couldn't bear to go any faster or harder. He could hear the distress in Rick's whine, feel how much pain the Alpha was in as well – but he was going to keep going because Daryl needed him to and if Daryl didn't know any better he'd say that's what love felt like.

He reached back and fisted a hand in Rick's sweaty hair, groaning when Rick snarled and nuzzled Daryl's nape. He didn't bite down – still, after days of fucking the desperate Omega in his bed, his self-control was as perfect and unbreakable as always. He pushed his free hand against Daryl's shoulder and reared up, putting his weight on Daryl's back as he fucked deep and slow into Daryl's body.

Daryl knew his Heat would be over soon – he no longer felt Rick shoving against the hard spot when he thrust in all the way. Daryl moaned and arched up, gritting his teeth as he forced his weight onto his elbows and knees, shoving back and into every one of Rick's powerful thrusts.

"Fuckin' knot me," he demanded, breathless and desperate. Rick snarled and leaned over him, sliding his hand from Daryl's shoulder to his throat. "Gonna – c'mon, Alpha. Don't you wanna keep breedin' me? More come than slick, that's what you said."

Rick snarled against his neck, slowing as he thrust deep into Daryl. His hands tightened, nails digging into the Omega's skin and holding him still. Even as tired as he was, Daryl could feel the strength in Rick, feel the energy in his trembling muscles just waiting to be released. Rick would keep giving Daryl whatever he wanted, past exhaustion, past strain.

" _Please_ , Alpha," Daryl gasped, his voice little more than a whine.

" _God_ , Daryl,  _fuck_  -." Rick rested his forehead against Daryl's hair, shuddering as he pressed as deep as he could and went still. Daryl felt Rick's knot swelling and then the Alpha was coming in him, spilling warm and wet inside of Daryl's body. Rick's hands abruptly turned gentle, petting down Daryl's flanks as Daryl collapsed back onto the bed, shivering with cold. Rick laid over Daryl and pulled the blankets over them to try and keep him warm.

"It'll be over soon," Daryl said, half-hoping. He was exhausted. The frenzy of needing to come every ten minutes had died down but his body still craved his Alpha –  _an_ Alpha, Rick wasn't  _his_  – and even when he didn't get off he still needed Rick inside of him, fucking and knotting and filling him.

Rick nodded, sighing heavily. His knot went down almost immediately – he was too tired to keep it up. Daryl rolled over and pushed himself up against Rick's chest, chasing the Alpha's mouth for a kiss. It was desperate and deep and Daryl threaded his fingers through Rick's hair, tugging until he heard the Alpha whine.

"Daryl, please," Rick gasped, pushing Daryl onto his back. Daryl felt Rick's cock twitch and it had to hurt but the Alpha seemed just as much a slave to Daryl's Heat as Daryl was – like he couldn't think past the need to fuck and knot inside of the willing Omega pinned beneath him. " _Fuck_ , I -. I  _can't_  -."

Daryl let out a plaintive moan, licking across Rick's neck. He opened his mouth wide and bit down,  _so gently_ , around the tendon and Rick shivered, his body twitching violently from the feeling of teeth at his neck.

"Fuck," Rick growled, pulling back so Daryl could see his eyes. They were so red, almost glowing in the dark room. Rick shoved Daryl's thighs apart and forced his cock back into Daryl's sore body. Like this, Daryl could see the dark circles under Rick's eyes, the exhaustion in the slope of his shoulders. The sweat and claw marks on his chest, his neck. Daryl knew there'd be some on his back, too. Daryl hadn't held back – Rick had come to the bed, mounted him over and over and when Rick had faltered, tired to the bone, Daryl hadn't let him sleep, hadn't let him stop.

This Alpha was  _his_. He'd come to him and triggered a Heat for the right to mount Daryl and Daryl's instincts were screaming at him to breed, to claim the Alpha fucking him. He wanted to  _keep_  Rick. He wanted to lay claim to the Alpha's home and body and everything in between.

He swallowed and sucked in a breath as Rick growled, baring his teeth. He was close – Daryl had taken enough of Rick's knots to know when he was about to do it. He leaned up, digging his nails into Rick's shoulders, and bit down on Rick's jaw just to hear the Alpha snarl.

"C'mon, Alpha," he rasped, and Rick whimpered and ducked his head, his arms wrapping tight around Daryl and clawing at his back. "Please, Rick, come in me. Just one more, then I'll let you rest, promise. Just one more. Know you can do it, Alpha.  _Please_."

Rick whined, shaking as he went still and sank deep into Daryl's slick ass. He rutted hard against Daryl, as though desperate to carve a space there deeper than he'd gone already, and shuddered and collapsed over Daryl as his knot grew and locked them together.

Rick trembled, his breathing leaving in harsh gasps as he lifted his head and claimed Daryl's mouth. He let go of Daryl and held his head in both hands, threading his fingers through Daryl's sweaty hair and kissing the Omega deeply despite how out of breath they both were.

Daryl whined, reaching between their bodies and wrapping a hand around his cock, stroking lazily. Rick growled and licked over Daryl's neck, forcing him to tilt his head back and bare his throat. Daryl shivered, sucking in a harsh breath, and tightened his hand on his cock when he felt Rick's teeth drag along his neck. The Alpha wouldn't bite him, Daryl knew he wouldn't, but the threat was enough to send a shiver down his spine and make the back of his neck feel prickly and hot.

Rick kissed him again, rolling his hips to tease the pressure of his knot against Daryl's prostate, goading the Omega closer and closer to the end. Daryl knew he didn't have a lot of time before Rick's knot went down and he desperately,  _desperately_ wanted to come with Rick inside of him.

He reached up with his free hand and pulled Rick back down for another kiss. Rick growled into his mouth, and flattened a hand over Daryl's throat, squeezing gently.

"Come for me, sweetheart," he demanded, his voice heavy and raking down Daryl's spine like a physical touch.

Daryl whimpered, his hand going tight on the head of his cock as Rick kissed him and squeezed his throat and he was helpless. The spasms of his body forced Rick's knot out and the Alpha let out a hiss against his mouth, too sensitive to stand the way Daryl's ass clenched up so tightly around him.

Rick pulled away and collapsed on his side next to Daryl, breathing hard. His cheeks and neck were a dark red from arousal, his eyes dulling from the ever-present red they had been since Daryl first went into Heat.

Daryl hummed and rolled onto his side, nuzzling Rick's arm until Rick wrapped one around his shoulders, pulling him close. "I don't even know what fuckin' day it is," he muttered, and winced at how raw and ragged his voice sounded. It felt like he had been washing his food down with rocks and salt. He was so thirsty and hungry even though Rick had done his best to keep them both fed and hydrated throughout Daryl's Heat.

Rick huffed a laugh and raised his head to look at the alarm clock on the bedside table. "It's Tuesday," he said, and flopped back down. "Five fuckin' days. Jesus Christ."

Daryl winced, swallowing hard. "Least it wasn't seven."

Rick nodded. "I think we might have actually died," he said, and Daryl could tell he was being mostly serious. He smirked and rolled his eyes before he nuzzled close to Rick's chest. Rick's heartbeat was still flying, heavy behind his ribs but calming down slowly. "How are you feelin'?"

Daryl hummed. "Feelin' a lot of things," he confessed quietly, keeping his eyes closed so that he didn't make the mistake of meeting Rick's gaze. "Tired, mostly."

"Sleep," Rick coaxed, rolling over so that he could cradle Daryl close to his chest. He pet Daryl's hair back from his face and tilted Daryl's face up. His thumb dragged across Daryl's cheekbone, fingers gently brushing up his neck and under his jaw. It looked like he wanted to kiss Daryl, but held himself back. "When you wake up we can shower, and eat."

Daryl smiled weakly. He thought he might sleep for a year at this rate. Rick smiled back at him and pet through his hair again, had coming to a stop at his nape. He squeezed gently and Daryl's eyes fell closed, and he fell asleep soon after.

 

 

When they woke, Daryl helped Rick strip the bed and start laundry. They showered separately and Daryl took his time making sure his hair and skin were thoroughly clean. He was still exhausted, the instinctive pull calling him back to the bed, telling him to rest so that he had the best chance of getting pregnant and didn't risk anything with physical activity.

He wanted to sleep but he also felt like he was buzzing, his brain rushing a mile a minute. He had bruises on his hips from Rick's fingers, a pale purple but tender when he pressed down on them. His neck was red from stubble burn, his shoulders sore from Rick grabbing him and mounting him. And, of course, his ass and thighs were sharply reminding him of all the strain he'd put on them.

His brain, though, made him feel like he was floating. It was a deeper satisfaction than play, something settled like a stone in his chest that pulsed with happy fucked-out hormones. He was sure he stank of satisfaction down to his bones, something not even a shower would get rid of.

When he was done he changed back into a comfortable pair of sweats that Glenn had brought him, and the same hoodie he'd grabbed the first day he spent at Rick's house. He texted Glenn to tell him he was alive and okay and received an emoji of the suggestive winking face in return.

He rolled his eyes and went downstairs. The kitchen smelled of coffee and food and his stomach rumbled. He saw Rick taking out what they hadn't eaten from the cooler and putting it back in the fridge.

"Hey," Rick said, smiling warmly at him. "You hungry?"

"Starving," Daryl replied, and Rick nodded and took out some more containers of food and set them on the counter to heat up and serve. They each ate three portions, ravenous and starved for food and desperate to replenish the calories and energy they'd burned during Daryl's Heat.

Daryl sighed, sitting back once his belly was full, and winced at the tug of displeasure from his ass and his lower back.

Rick noticed. "Sore?" he asked. It wasn't said to tease.

Daryl nodded. "Yeah," he replied, and bit his lower lip and put a hand to his stomach.

Rick's eyes fell to the gesture, flickering red. "It'll be about two weeks before we know for sure if it worked."

Daryl nodded again. "And if it didn't?"

"We can trigger another Heat," Rick replied. "If you want to."

Daryl regarded him with a raised eyebrow. "What, you think I'd move on if it didn't work?" he asked, smirking when Rick smiled sheepishly and ducked his head.

"I didn't want to assume."

"Sometimes it's okay to assume," Daryl said quietly. He looked down at the empty plates and sighed. "Fuck, I feel like I need to sleep for a year."

"Same here," Rick replied. He sighed and rubbed his hands over his face. He looked exhausted, Daryl could definitely sympathize. "I'll have to go back to work tomorrow, though. The Chief almost had my ass when I left in the middle of the day."

Daryl frowned. "Did you tell him what was going on?"

"Yeah, but he's a…he's kind of an asshole, when it comes to Omegas," Rick replied, his jaw clenching in a brief flash of anger. He looked at Daryl, and then away. Daryl wanted to touch him, to soothe the aggravation from his shoulders. He wanted to, and clenched his fists to stop himself doing it.

Technically, their arrangement was done. Rick owed Daryl no more of his attention, and Daryl was free and clear until he knew for sure if he was pregnant or not. Rightfully, he should move back to his apartment with Glenn to wait everything out and know for sure.

But he didn't _want_ to. He wanted to stay with Rick, in this house that smelled so much like the Alpha. He wanted to be around Rick all the time, and play with him, and let Rick feed him. It was a strange feeling but one he knew he'd had for a while – since that first day, almost. Being with Rick was addictive, the Alpha was unlike any Alpha Daryl had dated or met before.

He sucked in a slow breath and swallowed. "Would it be okay if I stayed in the nest today?" he asked. "Slept for a while?"

"Of course," Rick replied, nodding. "Take as much time as you need."

Always so accommodating. It was frustrating as Hell not knowing if Rick was just saying it to be kind, or if he felt the same reluctance to let Daryl leave. Rick's face was impassive, giving nothing away, and Daryl desperately wanted to know, if he stayed, if Rick would be okay with that. If Daryl spent the night, and the next day, and the next, until it was months from now and they were still living together and maybe…

Daryl stood and managed a weak smile. "I'm gonna sleep," he said, and Rick nodded. Daryl hesitated, wanting so badly to reach out and touch Rick, to pull the Alpha into a kiss, to play with him – but there was no need for that now. Rick hadn't touched him since that morning, since Daryl's Heat was finally deemed over. Maybe he felt like his job was done and he didn't need to touch Daryl and play with him anymore.

Daryl went up to the nest and laid down in it, sighing as he pulled the duvet up around his body despite the warmth in the room. His body was lax, but his head refused to let him sleep for a long while.

 

 

Glenn looked up as Daryl entered the apartment, shedding his jacket and boots and tossing his keys on the little bowl by the front door. Maggie was there, the two of them curled up on the couch and watching T.V. They looked just as surprised to see him as Daryl felt.

"Hey, man!" Glenn said, getting up and coming over as Daryl set his duffle bag by the door. Daryl smiled at him and accepted Glenn's hug, ducking his head when the Alpha pulled away to regard him. "How are you?"

"Alright," Daryl replied, and gave a nod of greeting to Maggie. "Hey. The place looks great."

She smiled. "Thanks."

"So, what happened?" Glenn asked, following Daryl as the Omega went into the living room and sat down on the recliner. Glenn took his spot back on the couch but he and Maggie were upright now, sitting next to each other instead of cuddling together.

Daryl looked at him. "I'm pretty sure you know what happened," he said with a roll of his eyes.

"Yeah, but…" Glenn paused, his eyes flashing to Maggie, before he looked back at Daryl. It looked like he was trying very hard to make sure he said the right words. He took a breath and frowned. "You smell sad."

Daryl sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. "Just hormones, I think," he said. It had to be that – he had just spent a little over a week with one of the best Alphas he'd ever met and he missed Rick. He missed Rick _desperately_.

But Rick had let him go. Daryl had packed his shit and headed out the door and Rick hadn't stopped him. No hug, no goodbye kiss, _nothing_. Just a smile and a 'Let me know if you need anything'.

Daryl _did_ need something. He needed _Rick_. But that was crazy. He didn't know much of anything about the guy, certainly not enough to explain the emotional draw to him. He felt so off center. He'd been introduced to so many new things and now it felt like he was going into withdrawal, craving a touch to his neck, Rick's deep growl against his throat, the Alpha's scent and his hands and his knot -.

"Do you think it worked?" Maggie asked, snapping Daryl's attention back to her.

He shrugged. "I'll know in a couple of weeks," he replied, rubbing his hands over his face again. "I'll tell ya, Heats fuckin' suck."

Glenn huffed, smirking. "Yeah, I'm sure you suffered _real_ bad."

"Nah, man, I mean it. It's…so fuckin' intense. By the end it just hurt but neither of us could stop, and -." He shook his head. "We didn't sleep, barely ate. It was insane."

Glenn stared at him for a long moment, long enough for Daryl to start feeling uncomfortable. "What?" he snapped.

"Nothin'," Glenn murmured, looking down.

"C'mon, don't bullshit me. _What_?" Daryl demanded.

"I just…can't believe he let you go," Glenn admitted.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Look, I don't know the guy well, I can't speak for him, but…he built you a fuckin' _nest_ , Daryl. That shit takes time, and energy, and whenever he looked at you I could smell _somethin_ '." His eyes flashed to Maggie for a moment. "I'm just sayin' if I knew Maggs was pregnant I wouldn't be able to keep my hands off her."

"Easy, tiger," Maggie said, a playful smile on her face.

"Rick knew what the arrangement was," Daryl said, and he didn't know if he was saying it to try and convince Glenn, or himself. "He knew what I wanted, what the endgame here was. And I told him after it was over that we didn't have to see each other again. He _knows_ that."

Glenn pressed his lips together, looking unconvinced. He opened his mouth to say something else but was stopped when Maggie put a hand on his thigh.

"Glenn, I'm sure Daryl's exhausted," she said softly. "You should rest," she added, looking to Daryl. "I didn't go in your room, it's all the same."

"Thanks," Daryl murmured. Truthfully, the thought of going into his room, barren and smelling only of him, made his skin crawl. He didn't know how he was going to sleep without the warm weight of Rick at his back, without the Alpha's scent in his lungs.

He stood and grabbed his bag. "I'm gonna get some sleep," he told them, and Maggie nodded and smiled at him. As soon as his door shut, he could hear their quiet, murmured conversation. He knew what they were talking about, but they were _wrong_.

He and Rick hadn't mated. Rick didn't bite him, didn't lay claim to him. Rick had let him leave, which meant Rick was a lot better at remembering what this whole arrangement was about than Daryl was.

He sat down on his bed with a heavy sigh and pulled his phone out of his pocket. There was nothing from Rick. He set it down and laid down, trying to get comfortable as best he could, but his nest felt too soft and empty without Rick there.

 _I don't know what I'd do if you weren't mine_.

But Daryl wasn't Rick's. He'd never be Rick's. He swallowed back the knot of sadness in his throat and tried not to think about how hard it was to accept that. Rick hadn't touched him since Daryl's Heat was over. Whether that was because he didn't want to, or didn't need to, or whatever else, was impossible to say.

He sighed and rolled onto his stomach and closed his eyes, trying to will himself into sleep. None came. He stayed awake well into the night and finally fell into a fitful sleep full of crystal blue eyes and a gentle, soothing growl against his nape.

 

 

After a week, Daryl could safely say he was miserable. He'd returned to work to a hearty welcome back from his boss, a kindly older man named Dale. Daryl was one of the best at his job and as an Omega he was more welcome in suburban homes than an Alpha might be. Dale put him to work immediately, stacking Daryl's day with house calls and scheduling as much as he could.

But Daryl couldn't stop thinking about Rick. Every house he was sent to reminded him of the Alpha. The pictures of happy, smiling families on the walls made him think of Carl, and of Shane and Lori although he'd never met them. One night Glenn made s'mores and Daryl almost broke down, reminded of the scent of his – of _the_ Alpha – when his scent was thick with lust and he'd covered Daryl in the middle of his Heat, or before that, during play.

Rick didn't reach out to him, just as Daryl had told him he shouldn't. He felt a strange pang of longing whenever he woke up to find that the Alpha hadn't texted him, or called him, or _anything_. He wondered if Rick was just as miserable as he was, if he could smell the scent of Daryl still around his nest room, his bathroom, caked into his sheets. He wondered if Rick had put his kitchen back the way he'd had it before Daryl showed up, if he'd disassembled the nest. If he even thought about Daryl at all.

After the second week, Daryl took a pregnancy test. Then another. And another. Until he was sure.

 _Negative_.

He waited another day, just to be certain. _Negative. Negative. Not pregnant. Negative._

"Fuck," he whispered, biting down on his fist to stop the whine escaping. But this was a good thing, right? If he wasn't pregnant, then he had an excuse to go see Rick again. But that also meant he stood no chance of getting rid of this persistent, deep _ache_ in him telling him to go back to the Alpha and make himself at home for real.

 

 

"I don't know what to do."

Eric sighed, looking sympathetic. Eric and Aaron were the only mated Alpha-Omega pair Daryl would call friends. They'd met in college. Aaron was studying political science and Eric was taking culinary arts.

Daryl looked at him, swallowing hard at the large bite scar clearly displayed on Eric's neck. He had known Aaron before he met Eric and they had mated after a month, and were so clearly in love it was almost sickening to watch. They were the kind of couple who made out in the middle of coffee shops and stank of happiness wherever they went.

"I think you do," Eric said, his quiet voice still sympathetic but firm.

Daryl nodded, biting his lower lip. "Yeah," he said, running a hand through his hair. "But what if he…? I can't do it again. I can't be with him, go through another Heat with him, while I'm feelin' like this."

Aaron sat up, head cocked to one side. "And what do you feel like?"

"I feel like…. I don't fuckin' know. I can't remember the last time I was that calm, and happy, just bein' in his house. I missed him, as soon as he was gone. It's fuckin'…disgustin', how much I wanna be around him."

"I'll try not to be offended," Eric said with a wry grin.

"I didn't mean it like that," Daryl said with a roll of his eyes. "But while we're on the subject, you guys are sickenin'ly cute and you should be ashamed."

Aaron laughed.

Daryl sighed. "I don't want to do this again."

"You don't want to be pregnant?"

"No, I mean – I don't want to pretend anymore. I should stay away, until I'm over the hormones and shit. It's – it's just hormones, right? I'm not _in love_ with the guy or anythin'."

Aaron cocked his head to one side again and Daryl growled at him. " _What_?" he demanded. He was getting real sick of Alphas holding their tongues around him, like he'd break if he knew the truth. He wasn't that fucking fragile.

"I want you to imagine something for me," Aaron said, and Daryl rolled his eyes but nodded. "Let's say…you go out tomorrow night. You go to a bar or get coffee, whatever else. You smell an Alpha – he's the best damn thing you've ever smelled. He's gorgeous, he's nice. He has the same sense of humor you do. He's got a good job, great friends when you meet him, he's basically everything you've ever wanted in an Alpha and he's basically perfect."

Daryl swallowed. "Alright."

"Now imagine him playing with you. Imagine him touching you. Imagine going into Heat with him." Daryl shifted his weight and let out an uncomfortable sound, and Aaron smiled. "Why are you reacting like that?"

Daryl bit his lower lip. "He's not Rick," he admitted.

Eric grinned. "I think you have your answer."

"It ain't that simple."

"Isn't it?"

" _No_ ," Daryl growled, shaking his head vehemently. "Not after I was so…. I was so fuckin' sure. And I told him exactly what I expected of him – that's what he agreed to. He didn't agree to a mate, to a family. Just a good fuck."

"People are allowed to change their minds, Daryl," Aaron said kindly. "You did."

"There is a way you can test that," Eric said slowly, as though in thought.

"What?"

"Go to him," Eric said. "Don't tell him you're not pregnant. Just say you want to be around him, ask him to play, whatever you want. You'll know how he feels by his reaction."

Daryl shook his head. "That won't work," he replied. "Rick'll do anythin' he thinks I want."

"But if he doesn't want a relationship, you'll be able to tell," Aaron said. "You're smart, Daryl. Just trust your instincts. The worst that'll happen is he says 'No' and you'll know where you stand, and you can move on."

Daryl bit his lower lip, stifling a whine. He didn't _want_ to move on. He didn't want to face Rick and be turned away.

He still had Rick's schedule. Rick was due to get off work around ten tonight. It wasn't a red shift where it would stretch longer. Daryl still had his key – Rick hadn't asked for it back when he'd given Daryl one so he could come and go as he pleased.

"I'm gonna need some liquid courage," he said.

Aaron grinned and stood. "That, my friend, we can definitely help with."

 

 

Daryl got to Rick's house just shy of ten at night. His heart was racing and he felt like he might be sick from nerves, as he dismounted his bike and left it in plain sight in Rick's driveway next to his civilian car. He let himself in and took off his jacket and shoes.

He went to the kitchen and opened the cabinet where he'd relocated the cups. They were still there. He smiled and took a cup down and got himself a glass of water, gulping it down quickly in an attempt to settle his stomach.

Then he went upstairs and to the room where his nest was. He opened the door to find that it was just as he'd left it, and still stank of his scent, but -.

He frowned, entering the room and leaving the door open behind him. Rick had been in this room. Daryl knelt at the edge of the nest and grabbed the soft fleece blanket, pressing it to his nose. The Alpha's molasses-sweet scent covered the material and Daryl took in a greedy breath. It was crazy how he already felt more centered and grounded, in his nest surrounded by the scent of him and Rick mixed together on the clothing.

He heard the front door opening and the sound of Rick stepping inside. "Daryl?" the Alpha called, and Daryl stood and left the room just as Rick climbed the stairs and came to a stop on the top landing. His eyes were flickering red and he looked shocked at seeing Daryl there.

Daryl closed the door and walked over to Rick. "Sorry," he said. "I should have called first."

"No, I -." Rick took in a deep breath, his eyes flickering red again and Daryl bit his lower lip. It seemed like Rick was trying to breathe in his scent as deeply as he could, like he had been just as starved for it as Daryl was for him. "Is everything alright? Are you okay?"

And it occurred to Daryl that he really didn't have a plan. There was no explanation for him to show up here except for if he wasn't pregnant. Rick would know that and would change his behavior to suit Daryl. Daryl could see all of this, clear as day. He could tell Rick he wasn't pregnant, that they needed to try again, and Rick would morph into the role of sire for Daryl, he'd press Daryl against the wall and make him slick and needy and would talk to him, get him lax and wanting. He'd trigger another Heat and fuck Daryl through it. He'd do whatever it took to give Daryl what he wanted.

So really all Daryl could do was be honest. He could put himself out there, he'd done it before. He should come clean to Rick, confess everything he'd been thinking and feeling. If Rick didn't want him back, Rick would be honest and say that. He didn't say anything he didn't mean – he'd told Daryl that before and Daryl _had_ to believe him. He had to believe that Rick would be honest and tell Daryl whatever the situation was.

Daryl opened his mouth to confess everything, then stopped when he realized he could hear another person moving on the stairs. He froze, his eyes wide as a mop of dark hair came into view, then the shape of a slender Alpha teenager.

"Dad?" the boy said – it was Carl, Daryl recognized him as clear as day. He smelled like Rick, but different as well. Not just sweet, there was a hint of something lemony and fresh in his scent as well – that of his mother.

Daryl swallowed and took a step back as Carl came to a stop beside his father. "Fuck," Daryl muttered, looking away. "I should have called."

"No, it's okay," Rick said, holding out a hand as though to stop Daryl retreating any further. "Carl, call your mom. You should stay at her house tonight."

Carl nodded and disappeared back downstairs. Daryl sucked in a breath, feeling shaky and unsure now. They stood in silence and Daryl imagined that Rick was trying to force himself not to touch the Omega. Daryl could smell his own distress, souring his scent. Rick's eyes were turning more red, the Alpha instinct in him to soothe the Omega coming out.

Carl came back up the stairs. "She'll be here in ten," he said.

Rick nodded. "Let's all go downstairs," he suggested, and Daryl nodded dumbly. "Carl, this is Daryl."

"Oh." Carl's eyes – the same eyes as his father – widened, and he looked Daryl up and down as if Daryl was some weird species of animal he'd just discovered. "Nice to meet you."

"Yeah," Daryl replied, on autopilot. "You too, kid."

They went downstairs and into the kitchen. Rick warmed up enough food for the three of them and they sat down to eat.

Daryl could see that whatever biology that made Alpha parents and their kids fight, it wasn't there in Rick and Carl. Carl was relaxed and happy around his father, they were physically affectionate. When Rick had given Carl his plate he'd put a hand on the boy's head and kissed his hair and Carl leaned up to rub his cheek against his dad's in the way Alphas did when they were very close. It ached something in Daryl.

He could have that. He could bear Rick an Alpha, or a daughter, and he could see Rick love them as much as he clearly loved Carl. They ate in silence and it felt blistering against Daryl's sensitive skin.

Lori rang the doorbell and Rick and Carl stood to go to the door. Daryl didn't move.

"Rick, what's going on?"

She had a soft voice but Daryl could still hear her.

"I'm sorry, I know it's late. Something came up," he heard Rick reply. "I'll come get him in the morning. Thanks, Lor. I appreciate this."

"Alright. Let me know if you need anything."

And then the door closed and it was just the two of them again. Daryl heard Rick lock the door and shivered, tensing up, that sound triggering the memory of the time they'd played after Glenn had left. He bit his lip to stifle a whine and couldn't bring himself to look up as Rick came back and sat down at the other side of the kitchen table.

He could feel Rick's eyes on him, burning into his face. After a while Rick sighed. "Daryl, what's wrong?"

Daryl shook his head. "Nothing," he said, standing. "I should go."

"Hey, you're here now," Rick said, standing as well. He didn't move to block Daryl's path but it looked like he wanted to. "Please, talk to me."

Daryl whimpered. He wanted Rick to _touch_ him, but Rick was still standing there, a few feet and miles away all at once. He had felt brave before, ready to lay it all out, but his courage had failed him at the sight of Rick's son. He wanted so desperately to come clean, but it sounded like one giant trick. Like Daryl had chosen Rick and played the same chemical con job his body had done and now Rick would be trapped in a relationship he didn't want.

Maybe Rick would hate him, resent him, resent their _child_. And Daryl couldn't allow that.

He shook his head again. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have come here."

"Daryl, _please_ ," Rick murmured, taking a single step closer. Daryl went tense and ducked his head. "Just talk to me."

Daryl raised his eyes to meet Rick's. The Alpha's expression was open and pained, like Daryl had punched him. He took a deep breath and sat back down.

"I didn't get pregnant," he said, looking up to watch Rick's face. Rick blinked at him, cocking his head to one side. "Took probably ten different tests. All negative."

"So…you're here to try again?" Rick said. It sounded hesitant.

Daryl sighed. "I was gonna lie," he murmured. "I was gonna lie and said I had gotten pregnant, and come here and -. Fuck. I don't know what I was gonna say, or ask for. All I know is I don't like sleepin' in my own bed now. I wanna…I wanna _be here_. With you. And I know that's not what this was about and it's not what you want but I just had to come here and ask because I feel like there's this hook in my chest and it keeps _tuggin'_ at me and I don't wanna be alone anymore."

Rick was silent. The silence was oppressive and heavy. Daryl took in another shuddering breath.

"I should go," he said, pushing himself to his feet again.

Rick stopped him this time. He put his hands in Daryl's hair and held him still, resting their foreheads together so Daryl had no choice but to meet Rick's eyes.

Rick took a deep breath. His hands were shaking. "Every day, I wanted you to walk back through the door," he confessed. Daryl's eyes widened and it felt like his heart stuttered for several beats. He reached out and put a hand on Rick's chest and felt the Alpha's heartbeat flying, like he was just as nervous, just as scared.

Daryl licked his lips and shivered. "You went in my nest," he said.

Rick nodded. "It's the only way I could sleep," he said, and drew back so that Daryl could see his face better.

"I can't sleep," Daryl replied. "I didn't know if it was hormones, or – or whatever. I thought it would go away. But it ain't goin' away, Rick."

"I want you," Rick said, the words pouring out of him like water cascading off a cliff. "I want you here, with me. I want you goin' through my shit and rearrangin' my house and I want you to be _happy_ here." His fingers tightened in Daryl's hair, sliding down his neck, his chest, until they came to a stop on his flanks. "I want to fall in love with you."

"Christ," Daryl whispered. Even after everything, he'd never imagined he'd actually hear Rick say something like that. It wasn't love, of course it wasn't, not yet – but Rick wanted it to be. He wanted to try. "You're not…you're not just sayin' that, right? This ain't play talk, or whatever the fuck else. Don't lie to me."

"Ain't lyin'," Rick replied, shaking his head. "I feel like I've been dyin' since you left. I didn't know where you lived, didn't know you felt like this. I swear, if I'd known, I would have asked you to stay."

Daryl took in a shaky breath, his hands tightening in Rick's shirt. Rick's hands squeezed Daryl's flanks in response.

Daryl couldn't take it anymore. He pulled Rick to him and kissed him, sighing when the Alpha immediately pressed him against the wall and kissed him back, passionate and deep. One of Rick's hands flattened on his cheek to hold him still and Daryl felt all the longing, the ache, the pain melting away. Just like he'd told Glenn – his body was aching, sore to the bone, but Rick's touch healed all of that. Nothing could be wrong with Rick's warmth under his hands and Rick's scent in his head.

Rick pulled back when they were out of air and Daryl felt dizzy, dopey, high on the feeling of the Alpha  - _his_ Alpha, Rick was _his_ Alpha – needing him and wanting him.

"Don't let me leave again," Daryl whispered.

Rick smiled, those expression eyes alight with joy. "Never, sweetheart," he replied, and kissed Daryl again. "For as long as you'll have me, I'm yours."

 

 

 

**Five Months Later:**

"Well, it took longer than I expected, but I think we can say 'Operation Knock Daryl Up' was a resounding success!"

"You're…a giant asshole," Daryl muttered, blushing as he took a sip of water.

Beside him, Rick let out a quiet purr, nuzzling Daryl's shoulder and slinging an arm across him to pull him close. His other hand settled on Daryl's stomach. He'd just started to show recently and every time Rick looked at him he could smell the heavy scent of a victorious, happy Alpha.

Glenn grinned at him and raised his beer in a toast. Daryl missed beer, but it was for a good cause. Coffee, too. Being pregnant kind of sucked, he'd complain about it more if he wasn't so fucking happy with being pregnant.

Rick had moved Daryl in the day after they'd confessed their feelings. That night had been wonderful, Daryl in his nest and Rick covering him, touching his stomach and his thighs and his neck until Daryl was as slick as he had been while in Heat. He'd kissed Daryl's neck and fucked him with no less desire, no less passion, even though it wasn't going to get Daryl pregnant at the time. His body had flung itself into another Heat less than a week later.

Glenn took a seat next to Maggie and laced their fingers together. She was grinning and winked at Daryl when Rick purred again, louder this time. On Rick's other side was Carl. Lori and Shane were by the grill and the scent of burgers was a promising, tantalizing aroma.

Rick's hand on his stomach sank a little lower and Daryl squirmed, blushing harder. "Hey, hands up," he teased, and Rick laughed but obeyed, putting his hand on Daryl's stomach a little higher. He stank of joy, sweet and like marshmallows.

He leaned in and kissed Daryl's neck, where the dark bruise of the mating bite still lingered. Daryl shivered, biting his lower lip as a trickle of arousal ran down his spine. Rick had the ability to make Daryl's body react with just a word, a touch. They played every day, even after Daryl had gotten pregnant. He didn't feel right, or settled, until he'd felt his Alpha's teeth at his neck and his hands touching Daryl with such reverence, like he was kneeling before a shrine to a God he was too unworthy to face.

Eric came over, stumbling, and fell into a pile of drunken giggles in Aaron's lap. Aaron smiled and kissed him, shifting his weight so Eric could sit sideways across his thighs and wasn't going to fall over.

Daryl smiled and turned so that he could claim Rick's mouth in a chaste kiss.

"I went to the doctor today," he told Rick quietly. Rick hummed. "She thinks it's a girl."

Rick pulled back, his eyes wide, before a joyous smile spread out over his face. "Really?" he asked.

"She's pretty sure. Apparently it was hard to tell but she said she didn't see any boy parts, so it's pretty certain."

Rick's eyes fell to Daryl's stomach, his smile gentle and adoring when he rubbed over Daryl's clothes in a small circle. "I've always wanted a daughter," he confessed quietly. "But I promised you an Alpha."

Daryl rolled his eyes. "Next time," he said. Rick's eyes darkened and a flicker of red passed through them, before he smiled and kissed Daryl again, a hand in his hair and kissing him deeply in a way that made Daryl gasp, arching closer.

"Absolutely, sweetheart," he murmured, a low growl rumbling deep in his chest. "Next time."


End file.
